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If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The British Campaign in France and Flanders--July to November - 1918 - -Author: Arthur Conan Doyle - -Release Date: April 09, 2021 [eBook #65047] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Al Haines - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BRITISH CAMPAIGN IN FRANCE AND -FLANDERS--JULY TO NOVEMBER 1918 *** - - - - -[Illustration: THE BRITISH FRONT in FRANCE and FLANDERS] - - - - - THE BRITISH CAMPAIGN - - IN FRANCE AND FLANDERS - - - JULY TO NOVEMBER - 1918 - - - BY - - ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE - - AUTHOR OF - 'THE GREAT BOER WAR,' ETC. - - - - HODDER AND STOUGHTON - LIMITED LONDON - - - - - SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE'S - HISTORY OF THE WAR - - Uniform with this Volume. - - THE BRITISH CAMPAIGN IN FRANCE - AND FLANDERS - - VOL. I--1914 - - THE BREAKING OF THE PEACE. - THE OPENING OF THE WAR. - THE BATTLE OF MONS. - THE BATTLE OF LE GATEAU. - THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - THE BATTLE OF THE AISNE. - THE LA BASSÉE-ARMENTIÈRES OPERATIONS. - THE FIRST BATTLE OF YPRES. - A RETROSPECT AND GENERAL SUMMARY. - THE WINTER LULL OF 1914. - - - VOL II.--1915 - - THE OPENING MONTHS OF 1915. - NEUVE CHAPELLE AND HILL 60. - THE SECOND BATTLE OF YPRES. - THE BATTLE OF RICHEBOURG-FESTUBERT. - THE TRENCHES OF HOOGE. - THE BATTLE OF LOOS. - - - VOL III.--1916 - - JANUARY TO JULY 1916. - THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - THE BATTLE OF THE ANCRE. - - - VOL IV--1917 - - THE BATTLE OF ARRAS. - THE BATTLE OF MESSINES. - THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES. - THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI. - - - VOL. V--1918 - - THE SECOND BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - THE SOMME FRONT FROM APRIL 1 ONWARDS. - THE BATTLE OF THE LYS. - THE BATTLES OF THE CHEMIN DES DAMES AND - OF THE ARDRES. - - With Maps, Plans, and Diagrams - - HODDER AND STOUGHTON - LONDON, NEW YORK, AND TORONTO - - - - -{v} - -CONTENTS - - -CHAPTER I - -THE OPENING OPERATIONS - -From July 1 to August 8, 1918 - -The general position--German attack of July 16--French counter-attack -of July 18--Turn of the tide--Fifty-first and Sixty-second Divisions -on the Ardres--Desperate fighting--The Fifteenth Scots Division at -Buzancy--Le Glorieux Chardon d'Écosse--Nicholson's Thirty-fourth -Division at Oulchy-le-Château--The campaigns on the periphery - - -CHAPTER II - -ATTACK OF RAWLINSON'S FOURTH ARMY - -The Battle of Amiens, August 8-22 - -Great British victory--Advance of the Canadians--Of the -Australians--Of the Third Corps--Hard struggle at Chipilly--American -assistance--Continuance of the operations--Great importance of the -battle - - -CHAPTER III - - CONTINUATION OF THE OPERATIONS OF RAWLINSON'S - FOURTH ARMY - -From August 22 to the Battle of the Hindenburg Line, September 29 - -Further advance of the Australians--Of the Third Corps--Capture of -Albert--Advance across the old Somme battlefield--Capture of Mont St. -Quentin--Splendid Australian exploit--Fall of Peronne--Debut of the -Yeomanry (Seventy-fourth) Division--Attack on the outliers of the -Hindenburg Line--Appearance of the Ninth Corps--Eve of the Judgment - - -{vi} - -CHAPTER IV - -THE ATTACK OF BYNG'S THIRD ARMY - -August 21, 1918, to September 29, 1918 - -Advance of Shute's Fifth Corps--Great feat in crossing the -Ancre--Across the old battlefield--Final position of Fifth Corps -opposite Hindenburg's Main Line--Advance of Haldane's Sixth -Corps--Severe fighting--Arrival of the Fifty-second -Division--Formation of Fergusson's Seventeenth Corps--Recapture of -Havrincourt--Advance of Harper's Fourth Corps---Great tenacity of the -troops--The New Zealanders and the Jaeger--Final position before the -decisive battle - - -CHAPTER V - -THE ADVANCE OF HORNE'S FIRST ARMY - -From August 26 to September 27 - -The indefatigable Fifty-first Division--Capture of Greenland -Hill--Fine advance of the Canadians--Breaking of the Drocourt-Quéant -line--Fine work of the Sixty-third Naval Division--Great day for the -Dominion--Demeanour of German prisoners - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE OPERATIONS OF RAWLINSON'S FOURTH ARMY - - From the Battle of the Hindenburg Line (September 29) to the - Battle of the Selle, October 17 - -The first American operations--The rupture of the Hindenburg -Line--Predicament of Twenty-seventh American Division--Their gallant -resistance--Great Australian attack--Remarkable feat by the -Forty-sixth North Midland Territorial Division--Exeunt the Third -Corps and the Australians--Entrance of the Thirteenth Corps--Rupture -of the Beaurevoir line--Advance to the Selle River - - -CHAPTER VII - -THE OPERATIONS OF RAWLINSON'S FOURTH ARMY - -From the Battle of the Selle, October 17, to the end - -Attack upon the line of the Selle River--Stubborn work by the Second -American Corps--Success of the Ninth Corps--Hard fighting at Le -Cateau--Great feat of the South Africans--Continued -advance--Delay-action mines--Capture of Landrecies--Dramatic exit of -the German machine-gunner--Splendid work of the First Division - - -{vii} - -CHAPTER VIII - -OPERATIONS OF BYNG'S THIRD ARMY - - From the Battle of the Hindenburg Line (September 29) to the - Battle of the Selle (October 17) - -Fighting at L'Escaut Canal--Dash of the New Zealanders--The Guards in -a hot corner--Crossing of the Canal--Back on the old ground--Great -work by all four Corps of the Third Army - - -CHAPTER IX - -OPERATIONS OF BYNG'S THIRD ARMY - -From the Battle of the Selle, October 12, to the end - -The battle of the Selle River--Reversion to open warfare--The valour -of Lancashire--Haig's incessant blows--Weakening of the German -morale--The battle of Mormal Forest--New Zealanders and the mediaeval -fortress--Capture of the great forest--The Sambre bridged--A grand -Division--Advance of Fergusson's Seventeenth Corps--The last phase - - -CHAPTER X - -THE ADVANCE OF HORNE'S FIRST ARMY - -From September 27 to the end - -The Canadians at the Canal du Nord--Hard fighting at Bourlon--Strong -counter-attack at Abancourt--Canadian valour--Godley's Twenty-second -Corps--The Ecaillon valley--Forcing of the Rhonelle--General -Heneker's attack--Capture of Douai - - -CHAPTER XI - -OPERATIONS OF THE SECOND AND FIFTH ARMIES - -September 28-November 11 - -King Albert in the field--Great Belgo-Franco-British advance--The -last act on the old stage--The prophet of 1915--Renewed -advance--Germans desert the coast--Relief of Douai and Lille--The -final stage in the subsidiary theatres of war - - -CHAPTER XII - -THE END - - -APPENDIX - -INDEX - - - - -{ix} - -MAPS AND PLANS - - -Map to illustrate the British Campaign in France and Flanders - -Advance of Fourth Army, August 8, showing Gains up to August 12, and -Final Position after the Fall of Peronne - -Position of British Corps, end of September 1918 - -Advance of First, Third, and Fourth British. Armies from August 21, -1918, to September 2, 1918. Arrows point to the Rupture of the -Quéant-Drocourt Line - -General Position of the Allies immediately before the Armistice of -November 11, 1918 - -Allied Advance in the North - -[Transcriber's note: Because of their size and fragility, it was -impractical to scan the above five maps. They have been omitted from -this etext.] - - -IN TEXT - -The Attack on the Selle - - - - -[Illustration: Map to illustrate the British Campaign in France and -Flanders] - - - - -{1} - -CHAPTER I - -THE OPENING OPERATIONS - -From July 1 to August 8, 1918 - -The general position--German attack of July 16--French counter-attack -of July 18--Turn of the tide--Fifty-first and Sixty-second Divisions -on the Ardres--Desperate fighting--The Fifteenth Scots Division at -Buzancy--Le Glorieux Chardon d'Écosse--Nicholson's Thirty-fourth -Division at Oulchy-le-Château--The campaigns on the periphery. - - -When the year 1918 had run half its course the Germans appeared to be -triumphantly in the ascendant. In Flanders they had pushed back the -British to positions which were, on an average, to the rear of those -occupied in 1914. On the Somme they had more than neutralised all -the Allied gains of 1916, and were stretched now from Arras to -Montdidier, covering ground which they had not touched since the -early days of the war. On the Aisne they had reconquered all that -the French had so laboriously won in three campaigns, and were back -along the Marne and within gun-shot of Paris. These results had been -achieved in three great battles which had cost the Allies some -200,000 prisoners and nearly 2000 guns. In July it would have seemed -that the German Empire was victorious, and yet ere the year had ended -the very name had changed its meaning in the map of Europe, and was -known only in the list of {2} evil things which have had their day -and then have passed. How this extraordinary change--the most sudden -and dramatic in all history--came to pass is the theme of this final -volume. - -There were certain factors which even at the zenith of Germany's -fortunes may have prepared a cool-headed critic for a swing of the -scales, though the wisest and best informed could not have conceived -how violent the oscillation would be. In the first place, the -ever-pressing strangle-hold of the Navy, combined with an indifferent -harvest and the exhaustion of certain stocks within the Empire, -notably of copper, rubber, wool, and lubricants, produced great -internal difficulties which grew worse with every month. Then again -German successes had been bought in reckless fashion at a very heavy -price, and if they brought a million men across from the Russian -frontier it is probable that they had squandered nearly as many in -the three great battles. Finally, there was the all-important factor -of the American reinforcements which had been speeded up to meet the -pressing emergency. By splendid international co-operation the -Americans put all their proverbial energy into marshalling and -equipping the men, while Great Britain threw every available unit of -her sea power, mercantile or naval, into the task of getting them -across. The long-suffering people of this island gladly cut down -their requirements in every possible direction so as to secure the -tonnage for this marvellous transfer. At a steady rate of a quarter -of a million every month the Americans flowed into -France--magnificent raw material which was soon to show how quickly -it could develop into the most highly finished article. {3} This -constant addition to the Allied forces, with the moral confidence -which they brought with them, was the third contributory cause to the -sudden change of fortune. It would be ungenerous, however, not to -add that a fourth, without which all others might have been vain, lay -in the commanding personality and extraordinary genius of the great -Frenchman who now controlled the whole Allied battle front from the -sea to the Alps, while two great civilians, Lloyd George and -Clemenceau, rallied the home fronts of the two weary nations which -had borne the brunt of the war. - -It will be remembered from the last volume that in the first half of -1918 the sun of victory had never once in Western Europe rested upon -the standards of the Allies save in Italy, where the Austrians had -been defeated upon the Piave. June 17 was in truth the turning-point -of the war, for from that date everything went well with the forces -of freedom. The change in the West came later, however, than in -Italy, and on July 16 the Germans attempted a new advance upon the -largest scale, which seemed to have some small success at first -though it was in truth the starting-point of all their misfortunes. -Their previous advances had brought them forward on the line from -Montdidier to Rheims, and now they enlarged their front by 25 miles -on the eastern side of Rheims, while their attack also covered about -the same distance to the west of that city, making some progress in -this latter sector, which led them down the valley of the Oise, -towards Villers-Cotterets, Compiègne, and finally Paris. The whole -world held its breath in a hush of horror as it saw Foch's soldiers -desperately struggling and yet losing mile after mile {4} of the -short stretch which separated the Tuetonic barbarians from the centre -of the world's civilisation and culture. They had crossed the Marne -that evening and had pushed the French and American line back for -some miles, but the latter rallied and regained some of the ground. -The most important point of the struggle, however, was to the east of -Rheims, where that splendid soldier, General Gouraud, a one-armed -bearded veteran of Gallipoli, created a false front which the enemy -captured, and then whilst they were still in disorder attacked them -from the real front, pushing them back with great loss. This -development on the east of the line fully compensated for the German -advance on the west, which was brought to a final halt within two -days. Foch had now bled the Germans until they had lost some of -their power of resistance. The moment for his great counter-attack -was at hand, and the carefully husbanded reserves were ready for the -crisis--those reserves which it was his supreme merit to have hoarded -up when the temptation to spend them was more than the firmest will -could have been expected to resist. - -[Sidenote: July 18] - -On July 18 the blow fell, and the Germans recoiled in a movement -which was destined never to stop until they had crossed the Rhine. -All important as the operations were they are only indicated here -since this chronicle is necessarily confined to the British action, -and no British troops were as yet engaged. Issuing under the cover -of a storm from the great forest of Villers-Cotterets which had -screened his preparations, the French Marshal hurled his line of -tanks upon the enemy, clearing a path for his infantry. At the same -moment the French-American {5} line went forward over a front of 27 -miles from the Oise to the Marne, striking the whole flank of the -German advance. The attack extended from Vingre in the north to -Château-Thierry. Everywhere the German flank fell back, their front -had to withdraw across the Marne, Château-Thierry was reoccupied and -20,000 prisoners with 400 guns were left in the hands of the victors. -Gradually, as the attack developed from day to day, a huge pocket was -formed, bulging southwards from the Aisne, with its lower edge upon -the Marne, the whole assuming much the shape which Spain does upon -the map of Europe. This protrusion, instead of being a menacing -point directed towards Paris, was now a much battered salient -attacked simultaneously upon all sides, by Mangin in the west and by -Gouraud in the south and east. Americans and French were on the -Marne, French alone to the west of it, and British with French on the -east of it. All were fighting with the cold fury of men who have -reached a crisis where death is nothing and victory all. Nurses at -the forward hospitals have testified how the French wounded were -brought in mutilated and dying, but delirious with joy because they -knew that the tide had turned. What matter anything else? What -matter life or limb? The grey cloud was slowly, slowly drifting back -whence it came. - -But it was very slow, for the German soldier had never fought better, -nor had his leaders ever shown greater skill in drawing him out from -danger and yet selling every rearward position at the highest price -of Allied blood. All three Allies were tried to their utmost, for -the enemy had not yet learned that he was fated to retreat. The -British, who had their {6} own great task already planned, were in -weak force, though that force was of the highest quality, for two -better divisions than Campbell's Fifty-first Highlanders and -Braithwaite's Sixty-second Yorkshiremen did not exist in the Army. -It is their operations which we have now to examine, since the grand -work of their American comrades-in-arms can only be included in the -scope of this work where they actually fought in the British -formations. - -[Sidenote: Twenty-Second Corps on the Ardres. July 20-21.] - -They occupied a point on the eastern face of the attack, nearly -midway between the Marne and Rheims, and it was their task to force -their way up that valley of the Ardres down which the remains of the -British Ninth Corps had retreated from the disaster of the Aisne, and -across which the Nineteenth Division had been drawn when it stopped -the German advance near Bligny, as described in the last volume. -Some memory of island valour should linger in that valley, for much -good British blood has been shed there. The two divisions which were -now hurried up to take their place in the French line formed the -Twenty-second Corps under Sir John Godley, and were accompanied by -some New Zealand and Australian Cavalry. They relieved a mauled -Italian Corps, while they had Frenchmen on their left and Algerians -on their right, so that it would be difficult to imagine a more -cosmopolitan line of defence. The country in front was hilly and -very difficult, and the line was bisected by the River Ardres, the -Sixty-second advancing on the right of the stream and the Fifty-first -on the left. - -It was a very desperate and difficult business, which lasted for ten -days, during which each division showed the most splendid courage and -endurance, {7} as can be proved by the fact that their united losses -came to 8000 men out of about 16,000 engaged, and that they met and -defeated four German divisions, capturing 1500 prisoners, 140 -machine-guns, and 40 cannon. The opening attack, during which the -advancing lines passed through the ranks of the Second Italian Corps, -was greatly stimulated by the news of the splendid Allied advance of -the two previous days, July 18 and 19. - -The fighting of both divisions was made very difficult by the -underwood and the standing corn which lay before them, thickly sown -with German machine-guns. On July 20 the 2/4th York and Lancasters, -on the extreme right of the British line, captured Bouilly, but were -driven out again. At the same time the 5th Yorkshire Light Infantry -was held up and lost heavily in front of the Château of Commetreuil. -It was a long, difficult, and expensive day for the 187th Brigade, -and its only remaining battalion, the 2/4th Yorkshire Light Infantry, -lost heavily as well. - -The 185th Brigade on July 20 occupied the left of the divisional -line, with the Highlanders on the other side of the Ardres. Marfaux -and Cuitron lay before them, but neither could be quite reached, -though again and again the assailants were on the very edge of the -villages. Once some of the men of the 2/4th Hampshires from the -supporting brigade actually penetrated the village, but they were -seen no more. The 2/4th West Ridings, south of the village, were -also held up. Meanwhile the 5th West Ridings attempted to work -around Marfaux from the north, through the wood of Petit Camp. All -attempts to debouch from the wood were vain, however, and {8} again -the attack was brought to nought. Some ground had been gained during -the day, but both main efforts had failed, and all three brigades of -the Sixty-second Division had been badly mauled. With no British -reserves behind, General Braithwaite must have been sorely exercised -in his mind that night. - -On July 21 the attack eased down on the left, but on the right the -187th Brigade deployed and attacked the Bouilly Ridge. The 9th -Durham Pioneers made a very fine advance, as did the 2/4th York and -Lancasters, and some valuable ground was taken, but none of the -villages. The attackers were encouraged, however, by learning from -prisoners that the Germans had endured heavy losses, and had been -compelled to demand reinforcements. - -On July 22 the situation began to clear a little as Burnett's 106th -Brigade, represented mainly by the 5th West Ridings, attacked the -wood of Petit Camp, an ominous grove, already littered with British -dead. So deliberate was their advance, in consequence of the -difficult ground to be searched, that the barrage was at the rate of -100 yards in ten minutes. The place was one long succession of gun -posts "en echelon," which were so concealed that they had no field of -fire, and were the more deadly on that account as they fired by sound -out of the bushes, and could not possibly be seen until one walked up -to them. None the less the Yorkshiremen, helped by a wing of the 5th -Devons, fought their way through this dreadful wood, dropping small -posts as they went. Two hundred prisoners and 41 machine-guns -remained in their hands, with 700 yards of new ground. The German -losses were heavy, but so were {9} the British, Captain Cockhill's -company of the West Ridings emerging with two officers and six men -able to report for duty. It was a fine operation, well conceived and -well carried through. The Germans fought with great tenacity all day. - -On July 23 the south-western corner of the Petit Camp Wood, which was -still in German hands, was cleared by the 6th West Ridings. The main -attack, however, on Marfaux and Cuitron was carried out by the -Durhams and the New Zealand Cyclist Battalion with magnificent -success. Marfaux fell to the New Zealanders. The stormers broke -through both villages and made their line 400 yards beyond. Two -French tanks did good service in this assault. Two hundred prisoners -and eight French 75's, taken previously by the Germans, were among -the trophies of this fine advance. The Seventy-seventh French -Division had attacked upon the right with equal success. - -Up to this period the Highlanders of the Fifty-first Division had -been striving hard on the southern side of the Ardres, with a task -which was not less difficult than that of their English comrades on -the north. - -On July 20 they found the enemy opposite to them in great strength, -as was shown by the fact that prisoners from three divisions, the -Twenty-second (Saxe-Meiningen), the Hundred and third (Hessian), and -the Hundred and twenty-third (Saxon) were taken that day. The great -straggling wood of Courton, with a fringe of farms, mills, and other -buildings, formed a strong advanced position. The Fifty-first -Division has gained so splendid a record in the war that advantage -may be taken of {10} this action to give in fuller detail its -glorious units. The attack that morning was carried out by the 154th -Brigade, consisting of the 4th Seaforths, 4th Gordons, and 7th Argyll -and Sutherlands, on the right flank. On the left was the 153rd -Brigade, consisting of the 6th and 7th Black Watch and 7th Gordons. -In reserve was the 152nd Brigade, 5th and 6th Seaforths and 6th -Gordons, with the 8th Royal Scots as pioneer battalion. The attack -was supported by French artillery and also by the guns of the 255th -and 256th Brigades R.F.A. - -The advance was a most arduous one, especially after the first -victorious rush when the troops found themselves involved in the -thick brushwood which prevented co-operation to such an extent that -the two brigades were entirely separated, but each struggled on -independently, small knots of determined men fighting their way -forward as best they might. The progress was better upon the left -than on the right, but the casualties were heavy, for the German -machine-guns had survived the barrage and were very deadly. Colonel -Bickmore of the 4th Gordons led a company of his battalion against a -German post but was brought down by a bomb, and his men driven back. -When the ground was recovered the Colonel had been carried off as a -prisoner. The German infantry seem to have taken hardly any part in -the battle, which was fought between the splendid Scottish infantry -on one side, and the determined German machine-gunners on the other. -The Black Watch of the 153rd Brigade found an even blacker watch -fighting on their flank, for the Senegalese infantry of the French -Ninth Division went forward with them and did good work during the -{11} whole arduous day. So sweeping was the machine-gun fire that at -many points it was found to be impossible even to creep forward -through the two-foot corn. - -By evening the attack had been definitely held, and the Highlanders -were forced to be content with their initial gains, while the French -on the left, who had been assaulting the hamlet of Paradis all day, -were also stationary. At 6.30 a company of German infantry attacked -the Argylls, but were driven back with heavy loss. So the long day -ended, the troops being much exhausted. The capture of 8 officers -and 360 men, with many machine-guns, was an inadequate return for -such heroic exertions. All day the enemy had been withdrawing upon -the Marne front, and the holding of his flanks was so vitally -essential that he was prepared to make any sacrifice for the purpose. - -The attack was continued next morning, the 152nd Brigade pushing -forward into the front line, while the other depleted units supported -it and guarded its flanks. Things went badly at the outset, for the -line had been altered during the night and the barrage was -miscalculated in consequence, so that it was no great help to the 6th -Gordons in their advance. All day mixed fighting went on in the -wood, and it was most difficult to determine the exact position of -the various units, groups of men stalking the machine-guns as hunters -might stalk tigers, the fight ending as often in the death of the -hunter as of the tiger. Once again the evening of a bloody day found -things very much as they had been in the morning. It cannot be -denied that the German resistance was a very stern one. - -{12} - -After a pause of a day the Highland Division renewed its attack along -a portion of its front, the main advance being carried out by the -152nd Brigade. Once more the deadly woods were penetrated, and once -more there was a limited advance and considerable losses. On this -occasion the barrage was more useful, though some French batteries on -the left fell short and caused heavy casualties to a company of the -6th Gordons in their point of assembly. Such are the unavoidable -chances of modern warfare. The 8th Royal Scots were thrown into the -fight, and made a fine advance. Altogether there were signs this day -of a weakening on the German front, which was confirmed in the patrol -fighting of the next few days. There were many casualties in the -152nd Brigade, including Major Moir, C.O. of the 5th Seaforths, who -was badly wounded. - -[Sidenote: Twenty-Second Corps on the Ardres. July 27.] - -Major operations were in abeyance until July 27, when severe fighting -broke out once again upon the south side of the Ardres. The 187th -Brigade had been sent across by General Braithwaite, and it now took -its place in General Carter-Campbell's sector, with the 152nd on its -right and the 153rd on its left, with the intention of making a -vigorous attack upon the German line on this front. Tanks had been -allotted, but rain had set in, the ground was marshy, and the -monsters immovable. All immediate objectives were easily taken. The -villages of Espilly and Nappes had both been occupied. So soft did -the front appear that the Australian horsemen were pushed forward, -while the troops north of the river moved on in sympathy. The final -line was north-west of Chaumuzy. Here, on July 28, a very stiff -German resistance was encountered, and Chambrecy {13} on the left -flank represented the No Man's Land between the armies. - -[Sidenote: Twenty-Second Corps on the Ardres. July 28-30.] - -The Montagne de Bligny position, where the Nineteenth Division had -distinguished itself in June, now lay immediately ahead, and the 8th -West Yorkshires (Leeds Rifles) were ordered to attack it. They went -forward so swiftly and with such spirit that they were into and over -the position before the Germans realised what had happened. It was a -notable performance, for the place was of great strength and -strategic significance. The French Government bestowed a special -mark of honour upon the 8th West Yorks for this deed, and it is -certainly a singular coincidence that, of the few British battalions -thus honoured, two should have won it at the same spot. There was no -artillery support, and the casualties were heavy, but Yorkshire won -home in spite of it. The enemy tried to regain it until the high -corn was full of his dead, but it was all in vain. This day, with -the co-operation of the French, Bligny village was also taken. No -further ground was gained on July 29, as a new German division, the -Two hundred and fortieth, had come into line with orders to hold on -at all costs. The fighting was very severe at the junction between -the French and British, where the liaison was so close between the -two nations that it is on record that, when at a critical moment the -French ran out of cartridges, the rifles and ammunition of the -British casualties were handed over to them and saved the situation. -Shortly afterwards the two British divisions were drawn from the line -and returned to their own army. In a generous appreciation of their -services General Berthelot, after enumerating their captures, said: -{14} "Thanks to the heroic courage and proverbial tenacity of the -British, the continued efforts of this brave Army Corps have not been -in vain.... You have added a glorious page to your history. -Marfaux, Chaumuzy, Montagne de Bligny--all those famous names will be -written in letters of gold in the annals of your regiments." The -French official bulletins offered also a very special tribute of -praise to the 6th Black Watch, a Perthshire battalion, which, under -Colonel Tarleton, had done particularly fine work during the long and -arduous service of the Fifty-first Division. - -[Sidenote: Twenty-Second Corps on the Ardres. July 30-31.] - -Whilst the Twenty-second British Corps had, as described, -distinguished itself greatly in the valley of the Ardres on the east -of the German salient, the Fifteenth Scottish Division under General -H. L. Reed, V.C., had been detailed to aid the French line in its -advance on Buzancy on the western German flank. This veteran -division was thrown into the fight on July 28, and made its mark at -once upon the formidable German position which faced it. It had -relieved the First American Division which was much worn by its long -and splendid service in General Mangin's Tenth Army. The Americans -left their guns in the line to cover the advance, so that, for the -first time in history, British, Americans, and French were all -engaged as allies upon the same battleground. The village was very -strongly held, and the high ground to the east of it was bristling -with machine-guns, but the Scots infantry would take no denial. The -44th Brigade (Thomson) had attacked the village itself, the 5th -Gordons and 8th Seaforths leading the assault. The latter battalion -lost its commander, Colonel Smith, but was the first into the {15} -objective, while the Gordons held and consolidated the ground to the -north of it. Farther north still the 45th Brigade had advanced its -whole line, while at the south flank of the attack the 91st French -Infantry was clearing the woods in front of it. The machine-gun fire -at this point was very heavy, however, and the French, after a -gallant struggle, were forced back to their original line, with the -result that the right of the attack was in the air. The Seaforths -had carried the Château of Buzancy as well as the village, and the -orders were at all costs to hold on to these important points; so -part of the 4/5th Black Watch was pushed forward to strengthen the -defenders, who were hard pressed and heavily gassed. There was -desperate fighting all round the village, which was declared by a -veteran French flammenwerfer section attached to the Highlanders to -be the most bloody work seen by them in the war. With their flank -naked the remains of the brave battalions were exposed about six -o'clock in the evening to an overpowering German counter-attack which -rolled up from the south-east and drove them, still fighting tooth -and claw, through the village, from which six German officers and 200 -men were brought as prisoners. Thus by seven in the evening the 44th -Brigade, after their day of most heroic effort, were back on their -original line. It was a sad end to a splendid deed of arms, but -there was no disposition to blame the Eighty-seventh French Division -on the right, who were already worn with much fighting, and who were -faced with very difficult country. Many of the Highlanders wept -bitter tears of rage and mortification when they found that the -deaths of so many of their comrades had not bought the {16} village -for which they gave their blood so willingly. - -[Sidenote: Fifteenth Division at Buzancy. July 28-August 1.] - -Orders were now received from the French Corps that the Scots -Fifteenth Division should change place with its neighbour, the -Eighty-seventh French Division, a difficult operation which was -successfully accomplished, the artillery in each case being left in -position. The new operation was to consist of an attack upon -Hartennes Forest, the Twelfth French Division working round the south -and the Fifteenth Scots Division round the north end of it, both -meeting to the east, with Droisy as an ultimate objective. The -attacking troops were concealed so far as possible in the cornfields -on July 31, and went forward about eight o'clock in the morning of -August 1, after the completion of a successful French advance further -down the line. The brunt of this new advance was borne by the 6th -Camerons and 13th Royal Scots of the 45th Brigade (Orr-Ewing), -together with the 10th Scots Rifles and 7/8th Scottish Borderers of -the 46th Brigade (Fortune). The left of the line made fine progress -and reached the east side of the Soissons Road, but the 45th Brigade -on the right was held up by terrible machine-gun fire, part of which -came from several derelict French tanks. These were dealt with and -blown to pieces by trench mortars. The advance was then resumed, the -French Twelfth Division coming forward also in the south. About -midday the Camerons had reached their mark, but were out of touch -with the Borderers on their right, so that they were compelled to -form a defensive flank from the cemetery to the road. The Germans -lay in a series of wooded hills upon the right, and though these were -smothered with shells the brave machine-gunners {17} still clung to -their position. So heavy was their fire that the right flank could -get no farther, and it was determined to hold on to the ground -gained. During the night the 44th Brigade, in spite of its heavy -losses three days before, took the place of the 46th. - -[Sidenote: Fifteenth Division at Buzancy. July 28-August 2.] - -It was evident on the morning of August 2 that the stern combat of -the previous day had not been without its effect. The enemy was -retreating all along the line, and his positions were being rapidly -evacuated. The Twelfth French Division on the right was able to -advance almost without opposition past the Hartennes Wood. There -followed an exhilarating pursuit up to the banks of the Crise River. -The 9th Gordon Pioneer Battalion pushed in with great dash, and was -in Villeblain before evening, while the French Eighty-seventh -Division reached the river east of Buzancy. The Fifteenth Division -was then relieved by the Seventeenth French Division, and was -restored to the First British Army amid a shower of congratulatory -messages from French Generals and comrades. So deep was the feeling -among the French over the magnificent fighting and heavy losses of -the Scots Division that a monument was at once raised in their honour -in front of the old German position with the inscription: "Ici -fleurira toujours le glorieux Chardon d'Écosse parmi les Roses de -France." Many brave Scots will lie for ever round this monument. -Three splendid battalion commanders, Smith of the Gordons, Turner of -the Royal Scots, and Kennedy of the Seaforths, were slain, while Hart -of the Scots Borderers and Macleod of the Camerons were -incapacitated--five Colonels out of ten battalions. The sufferings -from gas were very {18} severe, and all the Brigade Headquarters were -severely affected, General Thomson and his staff holding on for the -duration of the battle, but collapsing on the evening of August 2. - -[Sidenote: Thirty-Fourth Division with the French. July 25-August 1.] - -Whilst the Fifteenth Division had been performing this notable -service the Thirty-fourth British Division (Nicholson) had also been -incorporated for the moment into Mangin's Fifteenth Army, and was -heavily engaged in the battle line opposite Grand Rozoy, rather south -of the point where the Scots were fighting. - -So great had been the losses of this splendid Tyneside division in -the terrible contests of the Somme and of Flanders that it was now -entirely reconstituted with nothing of its previous personnel save -its veteran commander and a handful of war-worn officers. The -infantry were mostly Territorials from the Palestine campaign. On -July 18 the Thirty-fourth became part of the Tenth French Army near -Senlis. On the 22nd it was incorporated into General Penet's -Thirtieth Corps, and relieved the French Thirty-eighth Division in -the battle zone, on a line parallel to the Château-Thierry-Soissons -Road, having its right just west of Coutremain and its left in Parcy -Tigny. Woodcock's 101st Brigade was on the right, Williams' 102nd on -the left, while Chaplin's 103rd Brigade was in support. French -divisions, the Nineteenth and the Fifty-eighth, were on either side, -so that Nicholson's men formed a curious isolated little bit of -fighting England. - -At 6 A.M. on the morning of July 25 the whole line in this section -attacked with the intention of carrying the important road already -mentioned from Château-Thierry to Soissons. It was a hard and -disappointing day, for the French divisions on either {19} side were -held by the heavy fire from the Bois de Plessier and Tigny. The -101st Brigade was not more successful, but the 102nd on the left got -forward nearly a mile, and then lay with its left flank thrown back -to connect up with its French neighbours. Considering that it was -the first experience which these men had had of German artillery and -machine-guns, General Nicholson was well satisfied with his new -material. - -On July 27 the division was relieved by the extension of the flanks -of its two neighbours, but it was at once fitted into the line again, -filling a battle-front of 1500 yards, with its right east of -Oulchy-le-Château. It was just in time for an attack which opened at -5 A.M. on July 29, and it was only by great exertions that the guns -were registered and the infantry in their places. The objective was -a horse-shoe ridge from Beugneux in the east to Grand Rozoy in the -west. The 103rd Brigade was on the right, the 101st upon the left. - -The barrage was not as deadly as usual on account of the pressure of -time which had hampered the preparation and registration. The slopes -were long and open, swept by the deadly machine-guns. It was all -odds against the attack. The 103rd Brigade got to the outskirts of -Beugneux, but was held up by the murderous fire from an adjacent -mill. The 101st surmounted the ridge between Grand Rozoy and -Beugneux, but could get no farther, for it was all open ground to the -north. - -In the early afternoon the 102nd Brigade advanced from the wood in -which it lay with the intention of helping the 101st to storm -Beugneux, but as it came forward it met the 101st falling back before -a strong {20} counter-attack. This movement was checked by the -new-comers and the line was sustained upon the ridge. - -The net result of an arduous day was that the division was still -short of the coveted road, but that it had won about 2000 yards of -ground, including a good position for future operations. Casualties -were heavy, and included Colonel Jourdain of the 2nd North -Lancashires as well as Captain Weeks, C.O. of the 4th Royal Sussex. -The French had got Grand Rozoy upon the left flank, and though they -were driven out of it again they won their way back in the early -morning of July 30. All this day and the next the troops prepared -for a new effort, lying under heavy shell-fire which, among other -casualties, killed Colonel Dooner, the chief staff officer of the -division. - -On August 1 the attack was renewed under a very heavy and efficient -barrage, which helped the infantry so much that within two hours all -objectives had been won. Beugneux fell after the hill which -commanded it had been stormed by the 8th Argyll and Sutherland -Highlanders in a very gallant advance. Colonel Barbow fell while -leading his men to victory. On the left the French Twenty-fifth -Division had been held up by the deadly fire from a knoll, but Major -Atkinson of the 2nd North Lancashires realised the situation and -diverted his reserve company to storm the obstacle, enabling the -French right to get forward. It was planned that two British -battalions should push on beyond their objectives in order to cover -the flanks of a further French advance. One of these, the 4th -Cheshires, carried out its part to perfection in spite of heavy -losses, which included Colonel Swindells, its commander. The 1st -Herefords, {21} however, whose rôle was to cover the left of the -Sixty-eighth French Division, was unable to do so, as that division -was itself held up. That night the enemy was in full retreat all -along this line, and falling back upon the River Vesle. On August 3 -the Thirty-fourth Division was returned to the area of the Second -British Army, having done a fine spell of service which brought the -warmest compliments from the French commanders, not only to the -infantry, but to General Walthall's guns (152nd and 160th Brigades) -as well as Colonel Dobson's 207th, 208th, and 209th Field Companies. - -The northward advance of the French, Americans, and British was slow -up to the end of July, but became accelerated in the first week of -August, Soissons falling to the French on August 2, and the Germans -being driven to the line of the Vesle, when they held on very -tenaciously for a time, their rearguards showing their usual high -soldierly qualities. The Americans had a particularly hard struggle, -being faced by some of the élite of the German Army, including the -4th Prussian Guards, but winning their way steadily forward in spite -of many strong counter-attacks. The situation upon the Vesle and the -Aisne seemed for the moment to have reached an equilibrium, when -Marshal Foch called Marshal Haig to his assistance and a new attack -was launched in which British troops were once more employed on the -grand scale. Their great march had started which was to end only at -the bank of the Rhine. - -[Sidenote: General Survey.] - -Before embarking upon this narrative, it would be well to prevent the -necessity of interrupting it by casting a glance at those general -events connected with the world war which occurred during this -period, {22} which reacted upon the Western front. It has already -been shortly stated that the Austrian Army had been held in their -attempt to cross the Piave in mid June, and by the end of the month -had been driven over the river by the Italians, aided by a strong -British and French contingent. The final losses of the Austrians in -this heavy defeat were not less than 20,000 prisoners with many guns. -From this time until the final Austrian debacle there was no severe -fighting upon this front. In the Salonican campaign the Greek Army -was becoming more and more a factor to be reckoned with, and the -deposition of the treacherous Constantine, with the return to power -of Venizelos, consolidated the position of the Allies. There was no -decided movement, however, upon this front until later in the year. -In Palestine and in Mesopotamia the British forces were also -quiescent, Allenby covering the northern approaches of Jerusalem, and -preparing for his last splendid and annihilating advance, while -Marshall remained in a similar position to the north of Bagdad. A -small and very spirited expedition sent out by the latter will no -doubt have a history of its own, for it was adventurous to a degree -which was almost quixotic, and yet justified itself by its results. -This was the advance of a handful of men over 700 miles of desert -separating the Bagdad front from the Caspian. Arriving at the town -of Baku they kept the German-Turks out of that town for six weeks at -a time when oil supplies were a most pressing problem for them, and -so influenced the course of the war. Finally they withdrew in safety -after a most remarkable exploit, hardly realised amid the clash of -greater forces. Russia still remained in its distracted {23} -condition, hag-ridden by forces which at their worst surpassed all -the classical excesses of the French Revolution. Regeneration began -to appear out of chaos, however, though the end was still afar. -Allied forces in Siberia and on the Murman Coast formed nuclei upon -which the supporters of civilisation could rally. On the water the -atrocities of the German submarines and their sinking of hospital -ships, accompanied in several cases by the drowning of the sick and -wounded men, were the outstanding feature. In the main, therefore, -it can be said that there was a hush upon the periphery, while in the -centre the Allies with concentrated energy hurled themselves upon -their enemy with the fixed determination to have done with the thing -for ever, fighting without a break until either they could fight no -more or the German menace had passed from the world which it had -overshadowed so long. Nowhere was there a thought of compromise. -There could be no justice unless it were thorough justice. The -criminal methods by which the war had been waged forbade every -thought of an incomplete settlement. With stern and deliberate -determination the French and British turned to their task, -strengthened by the knowledge that the vanguard of America was -already in the field, weak as yet in numbers, but the head of that -long column which extended across the Atlantic and was based upon the -virile nation of a hundred million souls beyond. - - - - -{24} - -CHAPTER II - -ATTACK OF RAWLINSON's FOURTH ARMY - -The Battle of Amiens, August 8-22 - -Great British victory--Advance of the Canadians--Of the -Australians--Of the Third Corps--Hard struggle at Chipilly--American -assistance--Continuance of the operations--Great importance of the -battle. - -[Sidenote: August 8.] - -In the tremendous and decisive operations which we are now about to -examine, it is very necessary to have some fixed scheme in the method -of description lest the reader be inextricably lost in the long line -of advancing corps and armies. A chapter will be devoted, therefore, -to the attack made by Rawlinson's Fourth Army whilst it was operating -alone from August 8 to August 22. At that date Byng's Third Army -joined in the fray, and subsequently, on August 28, Horne's First -Army came into action. For the present, however, we can devote -ourselves whole-heartedly to the record of Rawlinson's Army, all the -rest being inactive. When the others come in, that is, after August -22, a definite system of narrative will be adopted. - -[Illustration: Advance of Fourth Army, August 8, showing Gains up to -August 12, and Final Position after the Fall of Peronne] - -Before describing the great battle some reference should be made to -the action of Le Hamel fought on July 4, noticeable as having been -the first Allied offensive since the early spring. Its complete -success, {25} after the long series of troubles which had plunged all -friends of freedom into gloom, made it more important than the -numbers engaged or the gain of ground would indicate. It was carried -out by the Australian Corps, acting as part of the Fourth Army, and -is noticeable because a unit from the Thirty-third American Division -took part in the operations. Le Hamel was taken and the Vaire Wood -to the immediate south of the Somme. The gain of ground was about a -mile in depth on a front of several miles, and the advance was so -swift that a considerable number of prisoners, 1500 in all, were -taken, many of them still encumbered by their gas-masks. Some sixty -tanks took part in the advance, and did splendid work in rolling out -the machine-gun nests of the Germans. Sir John Monash has attributed -some of the splendid efficiency of the Australian arrangements and -their cunning in the mutual support of guns, tanks, and infantry, so -often to be shown in the next four months, to the experience gained -in this small battle. - -The front of the new and most important attack, which began in the -early morning of August 8, was fifteen miles in length, and extended -from near Morlancourt in the north to Braches upon the Avre River to -the south. The right of the attack from Hangard onwards was formed -by General Debeney's First French Army, while General Rawlinson's -Fourth Army formed the left, the British portion being roughly -three-fourths of the whole. The entire battle was under the command -of Marshal Haig. - -The preparations had been made with the skill which the British -Command has so often shown in such operations, so that the Germans -were swept off {26} their feet by an attack which came upon them as a -complete surprise. It was half-past four on a misty morning when the -enemy's advanced line heard the sudden crash of the gun-fire, and a -moment later saw the monstrous forms of the tanks looming up through -the grey light of dawn. Behind the tanks and almost in touch of them -came the grim war-worn infantry. Everything went down before that -united rush. The battle was won as soon as begun. The only question -was how great the success would be. - -Taking a bird's-eye view of the advance, before examining the -operations more closely, one may say that the Canadian Corps, now -under a Canadian commander, General Currie, was on the extreme right -of the British line, in touch with the French. Next to them, in the -Morlancourt district, where they had never ceased for the last four -months to improve their position and to elbow the invaders away from -Amiens, were the indomitable and tireless Australians under General -Monash. On their left, just south of Albert, was Butler's Third -Corps, burning to avenge itself for the hustling which it had endured -during that perilous and heroic week in March. These were the three -units concerned in the new advance. - -The opening barrage, though only a few minutes in length, was of a -shattering severity, and was directed against very different defences -from those which had defied the Army two years before upon the Somme. -Everything flattened out before it, and even the German guns seemed -to have been overwhelmed, for their reply was slow and ineffective. -Only the machine-guns remained noxious, but the tanks rolled them -down. Nowhere at first was there any check or delay. The French on -the right of {27} the line had done equally well, and by midday were -storming forward upon the north bank of the Avre, their victory being -the more difficult and honourable because the river prevented the use -of tanks at the first attack. - -The Canadians were on the top of their form that day, and their -magnificent condition gave promise of the splendid work which they -were to do from that hour until almost the last day of the war. They -were probably the most powerful and efficient corps at that moment in -the whole Army, for they had lain in front of Lens with few losses, -while nearly every other corps had been desperately engaged and -sustained heavy casualties, hastily made good by recruits. They had -also kept their brigades up to a four battalion standard, and their -divisions had that advantage of permanence denied to all British -corps. When to these favouring points are added the great hardihood -and valour of the men, proved in so many battles, it is probable that -in the whole world no finer body could on that day have been let -loose behind a barrage. They were weary from long marches before the -battle began, but none the less their great spirit rose high above -all physical weakness as they pushed forward against the German line. - -They were faced at the outset by a problem which might well have -taxed the brains of any staff and the valour of any soldiers. This -was the crossing of the River Luce, which was covered upon the -farther bank by several scattered woods, ideal haunts of -machine-guns. So difficult was this operation that the French to the -south had to pause for an hour after the capture of the front German -line, to give time for it to be carried out. At the end of that -period the {28} very complex operation had been carried through, and -the whole Allied front was ready to advance. The Canadians had three -divisions in the line, the Third (Lipsett) next to the French, the -First (Macdonell) in the middle, and the Second (Benstall) on the -left. The 2nd and 3rd British Cavalry Brigades with the Fourth -Canadian Infantry Division (Watson) were in reserve. There was also -a mobile force, called the Canadian Independent Force, which was kept -ready to take advantage of any opening. This consisted of the 1st -and 2nd Canadian Motor Machine-gun Brigades, with the Corps Cyclists, -and some movable trench mortars on lorries. - -The width of the Canadian attack was some 5000 yards from the -Amiens-Roye Road to the Villers-Bretonneux Railway. Once across the -river the whole line came away with a grand rush and every objective -was soon attained, each division sweeping forward without a check. -The prisoners reported that an attack had indeed been expected, but -not so soon, and we can readily believe that the German Army, which -had been so repeatedly assured that the British were finally dead and -out of the war, must have been greatly amazed by this vigorous -resurrection. By 10.40, Caix, which is a good five miles to the -eastward, was reported by contact aeroplanes to be surrounded by -tanks. The Cavalry and the Independent Force were both pushing to -the front, and the latter deviated to the right in order to help the -French, who were temporarily in difficulties near Mezières. In the -afternoon the Cavalry Division had passed through the victorious and -cheering lines of the Second Canadians, and were carrying out a -number of spirited enterprises upon the {29} German supporting lines. -About the same time the Fourth Canadian Infantry Division pushed -forward and was reported to the east of Beaufort and Cayeux. By -evening all along the line the full objectives had been reached save -at one point near Le Quesnel. In their splendid day's work men of -the Dominion had taken some 5000 prisoners and great quantities of -booty. Many of the prisoners and guns were taken by the cavalry, who -had their best day in the war. "The best hunt we ever had, forty -minutes and a kill in the open," was the characteristic description -of one hard-riding dragoon. - -We shall now turn to the advance of Monash's Australians in the -centre of the British line. Fate owed Monash a great victory in this -sector, for, during months of quiet but ceaseless work, he had been -improving his position as the keen runner ensures his foothold and -crouches his body while he awaits the crack of the pistol. For once -Fate paid its debts, and with such a corps under his hand it would -have been strange had it not been so. All those advantages already -described in the case of the Canadians applied equally to the -Australians, and if the former outlasted the others, it must be -remembered that the Australians had been in the line for four months -before the fighting began--months which included the severe action of -Villers-Bretonneux. They were a grand corps, and they did grand work -for the Empire--work which we can never forget so long as our common -history endures. - -The order of battle of the Australian Corps on August 8 was that the -Second Division (Smyth) was on the right in touch with the Canadians, -while the Third Division (Gillibrand) was on the left in touch {30} -with the Fifty-eighth British Division, the Somme being the dividing -line between them. Behind the Second Australians was the Fifth -(Hobbs), and behind the Third the Fourth (Maclagan), with orders in -each case to leapfrog over their leaders when the first objectives -were carried. The First Division (Glasgow) was in the immediate -rear. Thus at least 50,000 glorious infantry marched to battle under -the Southern Cross Union Jack upon this most historic day--a day -which, as Ludendorff has since confessed, gave the first fatal shock -to the military power of Germany. - -All depended upon surprise, and the crouching troops waited most -impatiently for the zero hour, expecting every instant to hear the -crash of the enemy's guns and the whine of the shrapnel above the -assembly trenches. Every precaution had been taken the day before, -the roads had been deserted by all traffic, and aeroplanes had flown -low during the night, so that their droning might cover the noise of -the assembling tanks. Some misgiving was caused by the fact that a -sergeant who knew all about it had been captured several days before. -By a curious chance the minutes of his cross-examination by the -German intelligence officer were captured during the battle. He had -faced his ordeal like a Spartan, and had said no word. It is not -often that the success of a world-shaking battle depends upon the -nerve and the tongue of a single soldier. - -Zero hour arrived without a sign, and in an instant barrage, tanks, -and infantry all burst forth together, though the morning mist was so -thick that one could only see twenty or thirty yards. Everywhere the -enemy front posts went down with hardly a struggle. It was an -absolute surprise. Now and then, as the {31} long, loose lines of -men pushed through the mist, there would come the flash of a -field-piece, or the sudden burst of a machine-gun from their front; -but in an instant, with the coolness born of long practice, the men -would run crouching forward, and then quickly close in from every -side, shooting or bayoneting the gun crew. Everything went -splendidly from the first, and the tanks did excellent service, -especially in the capture of Warfusee. - -The task of the two relieving divisions, the Fourth on the left and -the Fifth on the right, was rather more difficult, as the Germans had -begun to rally and the fog to lift. The Fourth Australians on the -south bank of the Somme were especially troubled, as it soon became -evident that the British attack on the north bank had been held up, -with the result that the German guns on Chipilly Spur were all free -to fire across from their high position upon the Australians in the -plain to the south. Tank after tank and gun after gun were knocked -out by direct hits, but the infantry was not to be stopped and -continued to skirmish forward as best they might under so deadly a -fire, finishing by the capture of Cerisy and of Morcourt. The Fifth -Division on the right, with the 8th and 15th Brigades in front, made -an equally fine advance, covering a good stretch of ground. - -Having considered the Canadians and the Australians, we turn now to -the Third Corps on the north of the line. They were extended from -Morlancourt to the north bank of the Somme, which is a broad -canalised river over all this portion of its course. On the right -was the Fifty-eighth London Division (Ramsay), with Lee's Eighteenth -Division to the north of it, extending close to the Ancre, where -Higginson's {32} Twelfth Division lay astride of that marshy stream. -North of this again was the Forty-seventh Division (Gorringe), -together with a brigade of the Thirty-third American Division. Two -days before the great advance, on August 6, the Twenty-seventh -Wurtemburg Division had made a sudden strong local attack astride of -the Bray-Corbie Road, and had driven in the Eighteenth Divisional -front, taking some hundreds of prisoners, though the British -counter-attack regained most of the lost ground on the same and the -following days. This unexpected episode somewhat deranged the -details of the great attack, but the Eighteenth played its part -manfully none the less, substituting the 36th Brigade of the Twelfth -Division for the 54th Brigade, which had been considerably knocked -about. None of the British prisoners taken seem to have given away -the news of the coming advance, but it is probable that the sudden -attack of the Wurtemburgers showed that it was suspected, and was -intended to anticipate and to derange it. - -In the first phase of the attack the little village of -Sailly-Laurette on the north bank of the Somme was carried by assault -by the 2/10th Londons. At the same moment the 174th Brigade attacked -Malard Wood to the left of the village. There was a difficulty in -mopping up the wood, for small German posts held on with great -tenacity, but by 9 o'clock the position was cleared. The 173rd -Brigade now went forward upon the really terrible task of getting up -the slopes of Chipilly Hill under the German fire. The present -chronicler has looked down upon the line of advance from the position -of the German machine-guns and can testify that the affair was indeed -as {33} arduous as could be imagined. The village of Chipilly was -not cleared, and the attack, after several very gallant attempts, was -at a stand. Meantime the 53rd Brigade on the left had got about -half-way to its objective and held the ground gained, but could get -no farther in face of the withering fire. Farther north, however, -the Twelfth Division, moving forward upon the northern slopes of the -Ancre, had gained its full objectives, the idea being that a similar -advance to the south would pinch out the village of Morlancourt. -There was a time in the attack when it appeared as if the hold-up of -the Eighteenth Division would prevent Vincent's 35th Brigade, on the -right of the Twelfth Division, from getting forward, but the -situation was restored by a fine bit of work by the 1st -Cambridgeshires, who, under Colonel Saint, renewed the attack in a -most determined way and finally were left with only 200 men standing, -but with 316 German prisoners as well as their objective. A -wandering tank contributed greatly to this success. - -The partial nature of the local victory was due not only to the -excellent German dispositions and resistance, but to some want of -liaison between tanks and infantry, as well as to the total -disability of the flying service to furnish any reports before 12 -o'clock. This want was partly made good by the excellent scouting of -the Northumberland Hussars. The remainder of the day was spent in -clearing the ground gained and holding a series of counter-attacks, -one of which drove back an advanced line of the 53rd Brigade. - -Summing up, then, the result of the first day's fighting, it may be -briefly said that seven German Divisions had been cut to pieces, that -10,000 prisoners {34} and 200 guns had been counted, and that an -advance had been made which in the French sector reached Beaufort, -and laid the British line well up to Caix, Framerville, and Chipilly. -To those who associated those village names with the dark days when -the Fifth Army, exhausted and decimated, was compelled to retreat -through them, it was indeed an added joy that they should be the -milestones of victory. The whole penetration, though not more than -three miles north of the Somme, was seven or eight miles at the -deepest point, which is the greatest ever yet attained on the first -day of any Allied attack. - -[Sidenote: August 9.] - -The battle was vigorously renewed on the morning of August 9, and -once more the tide flowed eastwards, carrying the average depth of -progress two or three miles farther. In the south the French -directed their general advance rather to the right and reached -Arvillers as their final point. Their take of prisoners had amounted -altogether to 4000, and their depth of advance was over eight miles. -To their north the Canadians had reached Rosières, and the -Australians Rainecourt and Morcourt. To the north of the Somme the -Third Corps had been temporarily hung up by the very vigorous German -resistance in a strong position between Chipilly and Morlancourt. -Before evening General Rawlinson was able to report the capture of a -total for the two days of 17,000 prisoners and 250 guns. - -To take the events of this second day of battle in closer detail, the -Canadians resumed their attack at 10 A.M. with the same order of -divisions in the line, but with their Fourth Division acting with the -Independent Force upon the right, where in the early morning it -captured Le Quesnel. There was heavy {35} fighting all day along the -Corps front, but the advance was pushed forward for another 2500 -yards. Many villages were contained in this area, the Third -Canadians on the right getting Folies and Bouchoir, the Second -Canadians on the left Vrely, Rosières, and Meharicourt, while the -First Canadians in the centre got Warvillers, Beaufort, and Rouvroy. -The Germans had rushed up their anti-tank guns, and the casualties -were heavy that day, especially near Le Quesnel, where many tanks -were destroyed by direct hits from concealed batteries. To make a -complete and connected narrative of the doings upon this front it may -here be added that on August 10 the resistance thickened and the -advance slowed. Le Quesnel[1] was taken early by the Third -Canadians, upon which the Thirty-second British Division passed -through their ranks and carried the advance on to the outskirts of -Parvillers and Damery. The Fourth Canadian Division in turn had very -stubborn fighting and considerable losses, but it ended the day in -possession of Fouquescourt, Maucourt, Chilly, and Hallu. At night, -great fires reddening the whole eastern sky gave promise of a further -German retreat. On August 11 it was clear, however, that no further -important advance could be made without fresh preparation, and orders -were given for consolidation. A French attack on the right on Bois -en Z had no success, nor was the Thirty-second Division able to take -Damery. Instead of advance it was rather a day of strong -counter-attacks, against which the attenuated lines, after three days -of battle, were hard put to it to hold their own, a flank fire from -Lihons helping the German attack at Hallu and Chilly. The line was -in the main held, however, and {36} a total take of 8000 prisoners -was in the Canadian cages that evening, while 167 guns had been taken -by the one Corps. We shall now turn back and follow the fortunes of -the Australians on the second and third days of the battle. - - -[1] There are two villages of that name. - - -Upon August 9 General Monash's Corps still carried forward its -victorious career, though a halt was called for the Fourth Division -on the left which awaited developments upon the north bank of the -river. On the right the Second Division passed through the Fifth in -order to continue the advance, while the First Division thrust itself -in upon the right flank, next to the Canadians. Progress was slower -everywhere, but none the less it was substantial, Framerville being -taken by the 7th Brigade. There was a misunderstanding about time, -with the result that the First Division advanced some hours before -their Canadian neighbours, with tragic consequences to their own -right flank, formed by the 2nd Brigade. The advance was over open -country, with the Lihons ridge and village in front, from which heavy -gun-fire played upon the attack and caused considerable losses, while -on the right a deadly fire was maintained from Rosières Station. So -heavy were the casualties in the First and Second Divisions that -reinforcements had to be sent up when the advance was resumed. In -the evening some relief was obtained, for the region of the old -French trenches was reached and the men were at last able to get some -cover. Many of the Australians who fought through this long hot day -had marched for five hours in order to reach the field of battle, so -that it was a remarkable test of endurance. Finally Crepy and Crepy -Wood were taken and held against three severe counter-attacks which -{37} broke upon them next day. On August 11 Lihons Ridge fell and -the village was occupied by the 2nd Brigade, which again had to face -determined attacks. The Germans fully appreciated the vital worth of -this position, which commanded the plain both to west and east, so -they strained every nerve first to hold and afterwards to recover it, -but it was in stronger hands than theirs. The 3rd Brigade on the -left of Lihons was particularly heavily attacked but threw back its -assailants in confusion. Every yard gained was held. A final very -serious German counter-attack in successive waves, with 400 in a -wave, drove down from Lihu Wood in the north-east and actually -penetrated the front Australian lines, but the 8th Battalion in -support threw itself into the fight and soon the position had been -completely restored. - -In the meantime, the Fourth Australian Division had been released by -the fact that the remains of the Fifty-eighth Division and the 131st -American Infantry Eegiment had, as will be told, cleared the Chipilly -Ridge north of the river. Part of the Fourth Australians had crossed -the river, fraternising greatly with the Americans, so that the -officers on both sides had some trouble in sorting out their men--the -more so as the comradeship had often taken the form of an exchange of -hats and coats. On the night of August 10 the whole of the Fourth -Australians had crossed to the north bank of the Somme near -Sailly-le-Sec, and their commander, General Maclagan, had taken under -him the Americans and also the 173rd and 174th Brigades of the -British Fifty-eighth Division, much the worse for wear. - -[Sidenote: August 11.] - -The Third Australian Division had taken the place south of the Somme -vacated by their {38} fellow-countrymen, and on the morning of August -11 they continued the attack in the direction of Proyart, that -village being eventually carried by the 10th Brigade. It is needless -to say that books might, and probably will, be written as to -individual adventures and deeds of heroism, which in their aggregate -supplied the driving force which carried the line ever more and more -to the eastward. In giving a condensed account of the effects one -can hardly get down to the more human story of the causes. Yet few -greater deeds of valour can have been anywhere done than that of -Sergeant Statton of the 40th Battalion, who in this engagement of -Proyart seeing a neighbouring battalion, the 37th, held up by a nest -of machine-guns, ran across to their aid, shot all the gunners at one -gun, captured three guns single-handed, and chased the crews from two -others. Many a battalion has spent itself in doing less. - -We shall now turn to the British Third Corps on the north of the -Somme and so complete the account of the attack of the Fourth Army. -It will be remembered that on the evening of August 8 they had made -headway along the whole line but had been held up on the Chipilly -Spur. - -[Sidenote: August 9.] - -The attack upon Chipilly was renewed at 4.15 next afternoon, the -delay being caused by the need of assembling the reserves, which -consisted of the remainder of the Fifty-eighth Division and of the -131st Regiment of the Thirty-third Division (Bell) of the United -States Army. The assault was made by the 6th and 2/10th London -Battalions, but they were opportunely and very efficiently aided by -two companies of the Americans, who had lost their direction for the -main attack planned to the north, but who {39} seemed indifferent -which fight they were in so long as they were fighting. There was a -check at the outset, but the attack, while demonstrating from the -west, really materialised from the north, and both village and ridge -were captured with a number of prisoners. This was a very important -little victory from the point of view of the Australians to the south -who had been commanded by the German guns from this elevated position. - -The main attack was north of the Chipilly Spur, and was planned to -gain Cressaire Wood and a line across from the Somme to the Ancre -corresponding with such an advance. The assault was made by two weak -brigades of the Fifty-eighth Londoners upon the right, the 131st -American Regiment in the centre, and the remains of the Fifty-eighth -upon the left. Farther north the Twelfth Division, with the 37th -Brigade in front, carried on the line. Both Londoners and Americans -advanced with equal valour, and after a stiff fight the main portion -of the objectives was won, though it took three hours of hard work to -win them. Much credit was due to all, but most to the American -infantry, who had their first experience of modern fighting and who -were naturally embarrassed by the disappearance of two of their -companies which had drifted into the Chipilly affair. For a time -there was a gap between divisions, but before evening the Twelfth -extended to the right and all was well. The correction was very -necessary, for at 3 A.M. on August 10 a German counter-attack broke -without effect upon this very point of junction. The Twelfth -Division had had a very good day on August 9, Incledon-Webber's 37th -Brigade especially distinguishing itself. The 6th Buffs and 6th West -{40} Kents had heavy losses, but took 350 prisoners, two field-guns, -and a number of machine-guns. Two of these were taken single-handed -by Sergeant Harris of the West Kents, who met his death in attacking -a third. The Victoria Cross was his posthumous reward. - -[Sidenote: August 10.] - -On August 10 the Third Corps front was pushed forward in the morning -by a system of infiltration, British and American patrols scouting -and fighting through the eastern portion of Cressaire Wood. Before -evening, without any serious fighting, they reached the old French -Amiens defence line, which was the original full objective upon this -front. Having entirely accomplished his arduous task General Butler, -who had been handicapped by an illness which he disregarded while his -work called for his presence, took a short spell of rest, his place -being taken by General Godley. The Forty-seventh Division (Gorringe) -came across to the right wing, relieving the Eighteenth Division, -while shortly after the Thirty-third American Division, to the great -regret of their British comrades, entrained for the south to join the -main American army, but not before their 133rd Eegiment, acting with -the 13th Australian Brigade, had taken Etinehem Spur, to the north of -the River Somme. The action now died down in this quarter. In the -three days of fighting General Butler's Corps had taken 90 guns and -3000 prisoners, while, in the words of General Rawlinson, "in -protecting the left flank of the Fourth Army they were given a -difficult task which was carried out with a determination and -gallantry beyond all praise." The losses had been 6500, 500 of which -were from the American Regiment. The general result of the battle -{41} by the night of August 11 was that the French had taken 8000 and -the British 21,000 prisoners with 400 guns, so that it was already -clear that the greatest victory which the British Army had yet won -was that which initiated the final advance. In spite of all this -success it is to be borne in mind, however, that the Allies had only -reached the old German front line trenches of 1916, which were now a -valuable barrier for the rear of the retreating army. There was a -pause now while the Fourth Army was waiting for their comrades of the -Third Army on the left to develop their extension of the attack. -Meanwhile many small actions and local advances on Rawlinson's front -kept his opponents from having time to reorganise. On August 13, as -already mentioned, Americans and Australians advanced the line to the -north of the river along the strip which is bounded upon the left by -the Bray-Corbie Road. On August 14 the Canadian 7th Brigade took -Parvillers after some very stiff local fighting. They were driven -out again that night by the heavy concentration of the German -artillery, but next morning, with the co-operation upon their flank -of their comrades of the 9th Brigade, they won it once more. In this -operation the 52nd Battalion took Damery, while the French carried -the wood to the south of the village. There was a strong -counter-attack in the afternoon by the German One hundred and -twenty-first Division, but it was beaten back, leaving a number of -prisoners. About August 20 the Canadians began to slip quietly out -of the line, and were conveyed, unknown to the Germans, to a new -front where they came under the command of General Horne of the First -Army. Their exploits upon this new stage will be described later. -{42} The French were now on the immediate right of the Australians -until the time came for the advent of the British Ninth Corps. - -Amid the tremendous events which followed each other in a stupendous -historical procession during the latter half of 1918 it is hard to -select those which were decisive from those which were merely great. -It may safely be said, however, that three dates stand out as great -military crises--the turn of the tide on July 18, the British advance -on August 8, and the breaking of the Hindenburg Line on September 29. -It has been admitted by General Ludendorff that it was the second of -these which broke the confidence of the German Staff and finally -convinced them that the war must go against them. A very special -honour rests, therefore, with the three corps, British, Australian, -and Canadian, who brought about this victory, as well as to the -tanks, the cavalry, and the airmen who led or followed the victorious -infantry and the masterful guns during these days of doom. - - - - -{43} - -CHAPTER III - - CONTINUATION OF THE OPERATIONS OF RAWLINSON'S - FOURTH ARMY - - From August 22 to the Battle of the Hindenburg - Line, September 29 - -Further advance of the Australians--Of the Third Corps--Capture of -Albert--Advance across the old Somme battlefield--Capture of Mont St. -Quentin--Splendid Australian exploit--Fall of Peronne--Debut of the -Yeomanry (Seventy-fourth) Division--Attack on the outliers of the -Hindenburg Line--Appearance of the Ninth Corps--Eve of the Judgment. - - -We have now reached the date when Byng's Third Army joined in the -fray, and it is necessary to find some means of co-ordinating the -narrative and carrying it on in definite stages. The next -well-marked crisis which affects each of the armies engaged is the -great general attack on September 29, which broke the Hindenburg -Line. Therefore, in separate chapters the operations of each army -will be brought up to that date, and then further chapters will cover -the doings of each up to the date of the Armistice. Since we have -dealt with the Fourth Army, we may as well continue with it now until -we are in close touch with the Hindenburg Line, premising only that -instead of an inert neighbour upon the left we have a very active -advancing British Army. We shall then go on to the {44} Third and to -the First Armies, and bring each of them in turn up to the same point. - -[Sidenote: August 22.] - -On August 22 and the following days, the Fourth Army, with only two -Corps--the Third and the Australians--in front, renewed its attack, -greatly strengthened by the movement of the Third Army on its left, -which ensured that at least five British corps were all moving -forward together, distributing the advance over so wide an area that -the Germans were less able to concentrate reserves of men or of guns -at any one point--a result which was much aided by the fine work of -General Mangin's Army on the right. - -The main part of the fighting on the front of the Fourth Army on -August 22 was north of the Somme, where the Third Australian Division -covered the right flank of the Third Corps. On the south of the -river the Australian Corps advanced on a front of 4½ miles, and took -all their limited objectives, which represented a depth of 1½ miles. -This was effected by the Fifth Australian Division on the right and -the Fourth on the left, supported and finally supplanted by the First -Australian and Lambert's Thirty-Second British Divisions, the latter -on the right. The advance, which began at dawn, was no easy one, as -the country was much cut about with many obstacles, seamed with -trenches, and dotted with scattered woods. The determined infantry -would take no denial, however, and Herleville, Chuignies, and several -other small village sites were captured. The heaviest fighting was -in the woods, but a skilful system of encircling points of danger had -been carefully worked out, and the losses were less than might have -been anticipated. {45} Sixteen guns, 80 officers, and 2463 men were -the trophies of the day. Early in the morning of August 24 the Third -Australian Division moved suddenly forward north of the river, -captured the town of Bray, and formed a permanent line upon the -further side. On August 25 this same unit advanced 3000 yards on a -4000-yard front with very little resistance, always covering the -right of the Third Corps. - -Let us now follow the work of this Corps from August 22 onwards. - -It covered the ground from Albert in the north, where it was working -in close liaison with the Welsh Division on the right of the Fifth -Corps, down to a point near the Somme where it was in touch with the -Australians. The immediate object of the operations was to eject the -enemy from the positions in and around Albert which he had held for -four months, and also from his whole defensive system opposite to the -Amiens defence line, which latter had been regained in the previous -fighting. On the day of battle the Forty-seventh London Division was -on the right of the Corps line, the Twelfth Division in the centre, -and the Eighteenth Division on the left. To this last was confided -the difficult and important operation of clearing Albert, and of -establishing light bridges over the Ancre so as to cross that stream -and attack the high ground east of the town on the Becourt Road. -There was to be no preliminary bombardment, but machine-gun and -artillery barrages were to cover the infantry. - -The zero hour was 4.45, and at the signal the Forty-seventh and -Twelfth Divisions advanced behind a creeping barrage, moving at the -rate of 100 yards in four minutes, and as thick as 250 field-guns -could {46} make it. With such a van of destruction in front the -infantry came forward without undue losses, though a particular -strong point named the Pear Tree just on the interdivisional boundary -held fast and was destined to give trouble for several days to come. -As an observer remarked, "Anything British, from a helmet to a tank, -which showed over the crest was met by the sweeping fire of many -machine-guns, while shells from trench mortars fell in the ranks of -men following up. It was only when the general attack was continued -that this hornet's nest could be cleared." Save for this point the -general objectives marked out for these divisions, which meant an -advance of between two and three miles, were successfully made good, -but an attempt to follow up with cavalry and whippet tanks could not -be persevered in, so stiff was the opposition. It was soon found -that the enemy in the Forty-seventh Division sector was not only -capable of defence, but of aggression, for about 4 in the afternoon -his infantry advanced in a strong attack with a powerful artillery -backing, and drove with such violence into the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th -Londons, forming the 142nd Brigade, that they were temporarily thrown -back. Their right held firm, however, as did the Third Australian -Division to the south, so that no gap was formed. Being reinforced -by the 175th Brigade from the Fifty-eighth Division in reserve, the -Londoners soon reformed their ranks, greatly thinned both by their -advance in the morning and by the German onslaught in the afternoon. -The enemy's front was so menacing that the rest of the day and part -of August 23 were spent in reorganisation and consolidation. - -Meanwhile on the left, Lee's Eighteenth Division, {47} a famous -all-English unit of the type which, however brilliant its comrades, -has always formed the solid core of the magnificent tireless Imperial -Army, was carrying out its difficult task at Albert. It had two -brigades in the line, the 54th to the south and the 55th to the north -of the town. The Germans in front held the line of the Ancre, with -Albert as a bridgehead, the ruins and cellars of the town being sown -with snipers and machine-guns. To clear the town, to occupy the high -ground to the east, and by these operations to cover the flanks of -two armies was the function of this Division, and also to secure -crossings at Albert by which the Welsh on their left could get across. - -The stream in this part was 6 feet deep and 14 wide, with swampy -banks strongly held by the enemy. There were unguarded bits, -however, and patrols got across on the 21st, which simplified the -task, though it deranged at the last moment all the preparations for -barrage. Part of the 6th Northamptons and the 11th Royal Fusiliers -crossed early on the 22nd and formed up along the edge of the -Albert-Meaulte Road, while the rest of the 6th Northamptons fought -hard for elbow-room on the right flank, working in close liaison with -the 36th Brigade on the left of the Twelfth Division who were -attacking Meaulte. About 6 the whole front line advanced in this -quarter, flooding over the scattered German posts, and capturing -eighty machine-guns with their crews. At the same time the 8th East -Surreys on the left had rushed Albert, and after some fine confused -fighting had cleared the ruins and taken the whole town, with the -river crossings. The 7th Buffs at once pushed out on the -Albert-Pozières {48} road, but were held up by very heavy fire. The -11th Royal Fusiliers further south had also been held up by the guns -on the summit of Shamrock Hill, east of the town, but a company of -the 2nd Bedfords, led by Captain Doake, captured this strong point -and the line went forward. Altogether it was a good day's work, and -save on the extreme left most of the objects were attained at the -cost of reasonable casualties, which included General Sadleir-Jackson -of the 54th Brigade, who was badly wounded in the leg. The 53rd -Brigade continued their advance up to 10 P.M., so as to gain the high -ground on the Becourt Road, and thus prepare for the next day's -operations. - -The 113th Brigade of the Welsh Division on the left had been passed -over by the Albert bridges, and the 53rd had also passed in the -night. The plan of August 23 was that these two brigades should -attack Usna and Tara Hills respectively, on the high ground to the -west of Becourt Wood. The Usna attack is described under the -operations of the Fifth Corps. The Tara attack was completely -successful, and four tanks rendered conspicuous service. The work -was carried out by the 10th Essex, 7th West Kents, and the 7th -Queen's from the 55th Brigade. It was a fine military feat, far more -important than 350 prisoners would imply, for it broke the girdle -round Albert and cleared the road for the advance. No progress was -made at the other portions of the corps front on this date, save for -some advance on the left of the Twelfth Division near Meaulte. - -[Sidenote: August 24.] - -It had been determined to keep up incessant pressure, and to test -Hindenburg's incautious maxim that the side with the best nerves -would wear down the other. At 1 A.M. on August 24 the whole line -{49} burst into flame once more, and under a clear moon the Army -rolled forward. On the right the Forty-seventh Division had ample -revenge for its temporary check, as its 140th, together with the -175th Brigade of the Fifty-eighth Division, Londoners all, swept -across the debated land of the Happy Valley and secured it. The -Eighteenth Division also made good its objectives, the chief -impediment being the historical mine craters of 1916 at La Boiselle; -250 prisoners were taken out of these by the 8th Royal Berks, a party -of whom under Captain Nicholson, covered by Captain Sutherst's 53rd -Trench Mortar Battery, cleared up this difficult point. In the -morning the Eighteenth Division was well to the east of Becourt. The -only check was in the centre, where the general advance of the -Twelfth Division was still held up by that Pear Tree strong point -which had already caused so much trouble. Before evening, however, -it was clear that the enemy was effecting a general retreat, and the -37th Brigade was able to take possession of this very well defended -portion of the ridge. - -[Sidenote: August 25.] - -It was clear now that the German front was crumbling, and the whole -British line was pushing ahead. The chief obstacle on the morning of -August 25 came from an all-pervading mist. There was no check, -however, anywhere in the advance up to 2 P.M., when the general line -of the front was up to Mametz. The hardest fighting of the day was -done at Billon Wood by the 173rd Brigade, all three battalions, the -2/2nd, 3rd, and 2/4th London, having real hard work, and standing to -it like men. The place was strongly held with powerful artillery -support, but it had been cleared before nightfall. By the same hour -the Twelfth Division was east of Mametz, and the 8th {50} East -Surreys were on the far side of Mametz Wood. As these familiar -places came once more into their possession the troops felt that the -tide had indeed turned. On August 26 the Eighteenth Division had -cleared the ruins of Montauban, and the Twelfth, Carnoy, while the -Fifty-eighth pushed on from Billon Wood, and wound up within a few -hundred yards of Maricourt. This village was passed the next day, -and altogether, on August 27 and 28, another three miles were added -to the advance of the Twelfth and Fifty-eighth Divisions, the -progress never ceasing, but being continually accompanied by fighting -and maintained always against severe artillery fire. The Germans had -thrown in three fresh divisions upon this front and the resistance -was still very stiff. - -[Sidenote: August 26-28.] - -This was especially evident at Trones Wood, which was carried for the -second time in this way by the Eighteenth Division on August 27. -This fine assault was made by the 8th Berks and 7th West Kents, who -carried it out with both flanks open to the enemy since the Welsh had -been held in front of Delville. So heavy were the losses that the -Berkshires were in danger of not being strong enough to hold what -they had gained, so the 10th Essex were pushed into the fight. At 8 -A.M. on August 27 a German Guards battalion drove through Trones Wood -and pushed out the British stormers, but they held on by their teeth -to the eastern edge of Bernafoy Wood. Here General Barker of the -53rd Brigade reorganised his very weary ranks, which had been greatly -mixed in the advance and retreat. Just as evening was falling the -remains of the gallant brigade darted forward once more and came to -grips with the Francis Joseph Prussian Guards, who lay with many a -machine-gun {51} among the brushwood. Led by Colonel Banks of the -8th Berkshires, the English infantry rushed into the wood and poured -over the German position, taking forty machine-guns and completely -overcoming the resistance. It was a fine exploit, and when the 53rd -Brigade gave place to the 54th on the morning of August 28 they -handed over to them the whole of this terrible grove, which has been -so drenched by the bravest blood of two great nations. There was no -further action in this quarter on August 28, but on the 29th the 54th -Brigade, now under Colonel Perceval, was heavily engaged. Guillemont -was passed, though no trace of this large village could be -distinguished, and all day the 2nd Bedfords on the left and the 6th -Northants on the right were working forward across the grim old -battlefield. On August 28 the Twelfth Division took Hardecourt, and -General Higginson, who may well have been disturbed by the constant -flow of youngsters into his ranks to take the place of his disabled -veterans, must have had his fears removed and his heart gladdened by -the splendid conduct that day of 250 men of the 9th Royal Fusiliers -under Colonel Van Someren, none of whom had been in France more than -three weeks. On August 30 a great centre of German resistance was -Priez Farm, which held up the 11th Royal Fusiliers, and also the -Forty-seventh Division which had taken the place of the Twelfth in -the centre of the corps. The enemy was clinging hard to Morval, also -in the Welsh area, and this made any advance on the front of the -Eighteenth Division impossible. It was clear that a regular battle -with artillery preparation was needed, and this was arranged for -September 1. The right wing of the corps had in the meantime got to -{52} the line of Maurepas, and on August 31 the Forty-seventh -Division in the centre made a good advance up to Long Wood with a -number of prisoners to show for it. The Fifty-eighth Division closed -in upon Marrières Wood, which they took after some heavy fighting, -avenging the brave South Africans who had died so gallantly there -five months before. It was clear that the enemy were now standing in -a strong line, and were by no means beaten, which was shown also by -the bearing of the prisoners, whose morale was high, and who spoke -with as much pride and assurance as ever of the ultimate military -success of their country. Yet during the last week they had been -steadily driven back some 3000 yards every day by the remorseless -barrage of the British guns followed by the disciplined rush of the -British infantry. - -[Sidenote: August 26-31.] - -We shall now leave the Third Corps for a time at this line of fixed -resistance and return to consider the advance of the Australians to -the south. This had been victorious and unbroken, though no very -serious resistance had to be overcome. Smoke by day and fire by -night, with explosions at all hours, heralded the German retreat. On -August 26 Cappy was occupied. On the 27th Vaux Wood was occupied -north of the river, while Foucaucourt and Vermandovillers were -submerged to the south, villages no longer, but at least marks of -progress upon the map. On the 28th the Germans were still retreating -with the toes of the Australians upon their very heels, but the -heavier shelling warned General Monash that there was a fixed line -ahead, as might well be expected, since his men were now nearing the -point where the bend of the Somme brought the river right across -their front. Dompierre, Fay, Estrées, and other old centres of {53} -contention were taken that day. On the 29th the 3rd Australians got -Hem, while on the south the rest of the corps advanced 2000 yards to -the bank of the river, taking the whole line of villages from Biaches -to Villers-Carbonnel. The task of capturing such places was much -complicated by the difficulty of knowing where they were after you -had got them. The present writer was in Carbonnel, which was a -considerable place, some weeks later, and was unable to find any -trace of habitation save a signboard upon which was printed the -words: "Here was the village of Villers-Carbonnel." - -At the end of August the resistance had stiffened, and it was clear -that the Germans meant to take advantage of the unique situation of -Peronne in order to make it a strong centre of resistance. To the -civilian observer it would have seemed that such a place was -impregnable against assault, for it is girt in with reedy marshes on -the west, and with a moat on the north, while the south is defended -by the broad river, even as in the days when Quentin Durward formed -part of the garrison. Yet the Australians took it in their stride by -a mixture of cleverness and valour which must have greatly rejoiced -General Rawlinson, who saw so formidable an obstacle removed from his -path. As a preliminary operation the Third Australian Division had -taken Clery in the north, which they held against a vigorous -counter-attack on September 30. Halles was afterwards captured. The -question now was how to approach the town. Immediately to the north -of it there lies a formidable hill, well marked, though of no great -height. This place, which is called Mont St. Quentin, commanded all -approaches to the town as well as {54} the town itself. The Germans -had recognised the importance of the position and had garrisoned it -with picked troops with many machine-guns. Standing upon its pitted -crest, where one is often ankle-deep in empty cartridges, one cannot -imagine as one looks west how a rabbit could get across unscathed. -This was the formidable obstacle which now faced the Australians. - -[Sidenote: August 31.] - -They went at it without a pause and with characteristic earnestness -and directness, controlled by very skilful leadership. Two brigades, -the 5th and 6th of Rosenthal's Second Australian Division, had been -assembled on the north of the Somme bend, the men passing in single -file over hastily constructed foot-bridges. By this means they had -turned the impassable water defences which lie on the westward side -of Peronne, but they were faced by a terrible bit of country, seamed -with trenches, jagged with wire, and rising to the village of St. -Quentin, which is a little place on the flank of the hill. The hill -itself is crowned by a ragged wood some acres in extent. Mont St. -Quentin lies about equidistant, a mile or so, from Peronne in the -south, and from the hamlet of Feuillaucourt in the north. On this -front of two miles the action was fought. - -Early in the morning of August 31 the 5th Brigade, under General -Martin, advanced upon the German position. The 17th Battalion was in -the centre opposite to Mont St. Quentin. The 19th was on the right -covering the ground between that stronghold and Peronne, the 20th on -the left, extending up to Feuillaucourt, with that village as one of -its objectives. The 18th was in close support. A very heavy and -efficient artillery bombardment had prepared the {55} way for the -infantry assault, but the defending troops were as good as any which -Germany possessed, and had endured the heavy fire with unshaken -fortitude, knowing that their turn would come. - -From the moment that the infantry began to close in on the German -positions the battle became very bitter and the losses very serious. -The 19th Battalion on the right were scourged with fire from the old -fortified walls of Peronne, from St. Denis, a hamlet north of the -town, and from scattered woods which faced them. Every kind of -missile, including pineapple-bombs and rifle-grenades, poured down -upon them. The long thin line carried on bravely, halted, carried on -once more, and finally sank down under such poor cover as could be -found, sending back a message that further artillery bombardment was -a necessity. On the left of the attack the 20th Battalion seems to -have had a less formidable line before it, and advancing with great -speed and resolution, it seized the village of Feuillaucourt. In the -centre, however, a concentration of fire beat upon the 17th -Battalion, which was right under the guns of Mont St. Quentin. -Working on in little groups of men, waiting, watching, darting -forward, crouching down, crawling, so the scattered line gradually -closed with its enemy, presenting a supreme object lesson of that -individual intelligence and character which have made the Australian -soldier what he is. A little after 7 o'clock in the morning the -survivors of two companies drew together for the final rush, and -darted into the village of Mont St. Quentin, throwing out a line of -riflemen upon the far side of it. On that far side lay the -culminating slope of the hill crowned with the dark ragged trees, -their trunks linked up with abattis, {56} laced with wire, and -covering machine-guns. The place was still full of Germans and they -had strong reserves on the further side of the hill. - -The 17th had reached their goal, but their situation was very -desperate. Their right was bent back and was in precarious contact -with the 19th Battalion. Their left flank had lost all touch. They -were a mere thin fringe of men with nothing immediately behind them. -Two companies of the supporting battalion had already been sent up to -stiffen the line of the 19th Battalion, and the remaining two -companies were now ordered forward to fill the gap between the 17th -and 20th. Not a rifle was left in reserve, and the whole strength of -the Brigade was in the firing-line. It was no time for hedging, for -everything was at stake. - -But the pressure was too severe to last. The Australian line could -not be broken, but there comes a point when it must bend or perish. -The German pressure from the wood was ever heavier upon the thin -ranks in front of it. A rush of grey infantry came down the hill, -with showers of bombs in front of them. One of the companies in the -village had lost every officer. The fire was murderous. Guns firing -over open sights had been brought up on the north of the village, and -were sending their shells through the ruined houses. Slowly the -Australians loosened their clutch upon their prize and fell back to -the west of the village, dropping down in the broken ground on the -other side of the main Peronne Road, and beating back five bombing -attacks which had followed them up. Still the fire was murderous, -and the pressure very heavy, so that once more, by twos and threes, -the survivors fell back 250 yards west of the road, where again they -lay down, counting {57} their dwindling cartridges, and dwelling upon -their aim, as the grey crouching figures came stealthily forward. -The attack was at an end. It had done splendidly, and it had failed. -But the scattered survivors of the 5th Brigade still held on with -grim tenacity, certain that their comrades behind would never let -them down. - -[Sidenote: September 1.] - -All night there was spasmodic fighting, the Germans pushing their -counter-attack until the two lines were interlocked and the leading -groups of the 5th Brigade were entirely cut off. In some places the -more forward Germans finding a blank space--and there were many--had -pushed on until they were 500 yards west of the general line of the -5th Brigade. Thus when Robertson's 6th Brigade attacked at an early -hour of September 1, they came on German infantry posts before they -connected up with the main line of their own comrades. Their advance -had been preceded by a crashing bombardment from everything which -would throw a projectile, so that the crest of the hill was fairly -swept with bullets and shells. Then forward went the line, the 23rd -Battalion on the right, the 24th on the left, 21st and 22nd in -support. From the start the fire was heavy, but all opposition was -trampled down, until the two leading battalions were abreast of the -hill. Then once more that terrible fire brought them to a halt. The -23rd on the right was held by the same crossfire which had beaten -upon the 19th the day before. Its losses were heavy. The 24th got -forward to Feuillaucourt and then, having occupied it, turned to the -right and endeavoured to work down to Mont St. Quentin from the -north. But the fire was too murderous and the advance was stopped. -Other {58} elements were coming into action, however, which would -prevent the whole German effort being concentrated upon the defence -of the one position. In the north the 10th Brigade of the Third -Australian Division, with the 229th British Yeomanry Brigade upon -their left, were swinging round and threatening to cut in on the -German flank and rear. In the south the 14th Australian Brigade of -the Fifth Division was advancing straight upon the town of Peronne, -attacking from the south and east simultaneously. But even now the -nut was too hard for the crackers. The British and the 10th -Australian Brigades were fighting their way round in the north and -constant progress was being made in that indirect pressure. But the -6th Brigade after its splendid advance was held up, and old Peronne, -spitting fire from its ancient walls, was still keeping the 14th -Brigade at a distance. At 8 o'clock the attack had again failed. -Orders were then given for the reorganisation of the troops and for a -renewed effort at half-past one. The artillery had been brought up -and reinforced, so that it now fairly scalped the hill. At the hour -named the direct advance of the 6th Brigade was resumed, the fresh -21st Battalion being pushed into the centre, between the 23rd and -24th which had both suffered severely in the morning. This time -General Rosenthal was justified of his perseverance. At the signal -the troops poured forward and under a hail of bullets seized the -ruins of the village once more, streaming out at the further side and -falling into a long skirmish line on the western edge of the wood. -The brave German defenders were still unabashed and the losses were -so heavy that the wood could not instantly be carried, but the -position was consolidated and held, with the {59} absolute certainty -that such close grips in front with the threatening movements upon -his flank must drive him from the hill. So it proved, for when on -the morning of September 2 the 7th Brigade passed over the fatal -plain, which was sown with the bodies of their comrades, they went -through the village and on past the wood with little opposition, -forming up at last in a defensive line facing south-east, while the -Fifth Division on the south drove home its attack upon Peronne, where -the defence was already hopelessly compromised by the various -movements to the north. - -Thus fell Mont St. Quentin, and as a consequence Peronne. Sir Henry -Rawlinson in his official dispatch remarked that he was "filled with -admiration for the surpassing daring" of the troops who had taken a -position of the greatest "natural strength and eminent tactical -value." Men of the Second Guards Division and of four other German -Divisions were found among the prisoners. The Australian exploit may -be said to have been of a peculiarly national character, as there was -not one of the Australian communities--Victoria, New South Wales, -Queensland, West Australia, Tasmania--which did not play some -honourable part in the battle. - -Passing northward from the victorious Australians, September 1 saw -the attack carried all along the line, the 3rd Corps advancing upon -Rancourt, Priez Farm, and the line to Bouchavesnes. On the left the -hard-worked 54th and 55th Brigades did splendidly, especially the 8th -East Surrey under Colonel Irwin. Surrey men and Germans lay thick -round Priez Farm, but this key-position remained in the hands of the -English, after a very bitter struggle. The 7th Queen's {60} took -Fregicourt, while the 7th West Kents helped the Welshmen at -Sailly-Sallisel. The trench mortar batteries, pushing right up -regardless of all risk and smothering the German strong points by -their concentrated fire, did great work in these operations, -especially the 142nd T.M. Battery near Priez Farm. All these various -advances were as remarkable for their tactical skill as for the -valour shown by all ranks. The latter had been a constant asset, but -the former grew with time. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 1, 2.] - -Meanwhile the Forty-seventh and Fifty-eighth Divisions had each done -splendidly and secured their objectives, including Rancourt and -Bouchavesnes. The main road from Bapaume to Peronne had been passed -and the whole of the old Somme battlefield been cleared in this -direction. Prisoners were taken from four different divisions in the -course of the fight. It had taken four months' fighting in 1916 to -conquer the ground which had been now cleared by the Fifth and Third -Corps inside of ten days. - -The advance was continued on September 2, as it was argued that -however exhausted the victors might be the vanquished would surely be -even more so. A new actor made a first appearance in the greatest of -all dramas about this time, for the Seventy-fourth Division, which -had done good service in Palestine under General Girdwood, made its -first attack in a European line of battle. This unit was originally -composed entirely of Yeomanry, and it had still retained a large -proportion of this splendid material in the ranks, with a broken spur -as their witty and picturesque divisional emblem. The tale of the -British Yeomanry in the East is one which will be among the most -romantic in the war; and the {61} way in which farmers' sons from -Dorset or Fife charged with cold steel and rode down the Eastern -cavalry or broke the ranks of the Turkish infantry is as fantastic an -incident as the mind of a prophetic novelist could have furnished. -Indeed it may be said generally that none of the many imaginary -forecasts of the coming war equalled the reality in the broad sweep -of its incidents and the grotesque combinations which ensued. - -The Seventy-fourth had now taken over from the Fifty-eighth Division. -They were pushed at once into heavy fighting, advancing rapidly down -the western slope of the Tortille valley, through Moislains, and over -the canal. In their eager zeal they had not mopped up sufficiently, -and they soon found themselves under a fire from front and rear which -no troops could endure. They were driven back to near the point from -which they started and their losses were considerable. The -Australians formed a defensive flank on the south, and the -Forty-seventh on the north, and a line of resistance was built up -between them from Haut Allaines on the right to the western bank of -the Tortille. The Yeomanry had before evening endured a very -terrible welcome to the Western front. - -The Eighteenth Division on the left had also had some severe fighting -which fell chiefly upon the depleted 53rd Brigade. It secured the -high ground in the north of St. Pierre Vaast Wood, the whole of which -was cleared by the 8th Berkshires. On September 3 and 4 the division -continued to advance across the canal and the Tortille upon the line -of Nurlu. On the evening of September 4 its long term of hard and -glorious service was ended and the {62} Twelfth Division took its -place. Its losses had been 2700, while it had captured during the -battle some 1800 prisoners and many guns. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 2-10.] - -From this date until September 10, which saw them in front of the -outposts of the Hindenburg Line, the record of the Third Corps was -one of steady and uninterrupted progress. The German machine-guns -were now, as always, a cause of constant worry, loss, and delay, but -the remorseless drive of the British infantry was for ever beating in -the obstinate rearguards. September 6 marked an advance of nearly -three miles along the whole Corps front, the Twelfth, Forty-seventh, -and Seventy-fourth moving in line and flooding over the village sites -of Nurlu, Templeux, Driencourt, and Longavesnes. The work of Owen's -35th Brigade at Nurlu was particularly trying, for it was held up by -wire and machine-guns, the 7th Sussex, 7th Norfolks, and 9th Essex -all losing heavily in some very desperate fighting which gave little -result. Finally, on September 6, the 1st Cambridge and 5th -Berkshires reinforced the troops already mentioned and, under a -renewed barrage, they broke the line and carried the position. On -this date the Forty-seventh Londoners, who had done such solid work, -were ordered off to join another corps, the Fifty-eighth moving up -once more to take their place. - -On September 7 the weather, which had been excellent since August 22, -broke badly, but the Corps improved its position in spite of wind and -rain, closing up to what was known to be the German fixed position. -On the 8th both Epéhy and Peizières were touched, but the Germans -were fairly at bay now, and instant counter-attacks showed that their -resistance would be serious. The final position was about 1000 yards -{63} west of these villages. The Fifty-eighth Division on September -10 endeavoured to gain more ground in this quarter, but neither they -nor the Seventy-fourth upon their right could make any impression -upon the strong German line. There was a definite pause, therefore, -while tanks, guns, and all other appliances for a serious assault -upon a fortified position were hurried to the front. On this date, -September 12, General Butler was able to resume his command of the -Third Corps, while General Godley, after his term of brilliant -service, returned to his own unit, the Twenty-second Corps. - -We must now return to the Australian Corps on the right, whom we left -in the flush of victory after their fine conquest of Peronne. Up to -the end of August, Monash and his men had accounted for 14,500 -prisoners and 170 guns since the beginning of the advance. On -September 1, as already mentioned. Peronne had been penetrated by -the Fifth Australian Division, but after the fall of Mont St. -Quentin, and the failure of their efforts at recovery, the Germans -must have seen that it was hopeless to hold the place, so that the -stormers were eventually only faced by a rearguard of stalwarts. -Anvil Wood to the north-east was taken on the same day. The order of -the Divisions upon the Australian front at this time was that the -Third was on the extreme left, acting with the Third Corps, the -Second was just north of Peronne, the Fifth was opposite to Peronne, -and the Thirty-second British Division was on the extreme right, near -Brie and St. Christ, in touch with the French. - -Early in the morning of September 2 Rosenthal's indefatigable Second -Division continued to advance {64} from Mont St. Quentin, attacking -to the north-east so as to get possession of the high ground -south-west of Aizecourt. They attained their objectives and formed a -flank along the spur from Mont St. Quentin to Aizecourt in order to -protect the Third Corps in the difficult operations already -described. By this movement to the north the Second Australian got -in front of the Third Australian Division, which was crowded out of -the line, all but two battalions. The Fifth Australians spent the -day in clearing up Peronne. Altogether some 500 additional prisoners -fell into their hands during the day. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 5-12.] - -There was some readjustment and reorganisation necessary after this -strenuous work, but by September 5 the advance was going forward -again and Flamicourt was taken. It is an open rolling country of -large horizons, and the Germans were slowly retreating with strong -rearguards. Doingt, Le Mesnil, and the river crossings of Brie and -St. Christ were all occupied, though the latter cost a severe fight, -with 150 prisoners as trophies. On the 6th and 7th the Corps were -sweeping on with their own 13th Australian Light Horse doing the -cavalry work in front of them, fit representatives of those splendid -horsemen who have left an enduring reputation in Egypt and Palestine. -Late in the afternoon of September 7 the Corps front crossed the -railway between Vermand and Vendelles, and began to approach the -historic point which had marked the British line before March 21. On -September 10 Strickland's First British Division arrived in this -area, and with the Thirty-second Division and some other units began -to form the nucleus of another Corps, the Ninth, which should operate -under General Braithwaite to the right of the {65} Australians. On -the 12th the Australians took Jeancourt, and were in touch with the -outlying defences of the great Hindenburg Line, which they at once -proceeded to attack. On September 13 there was a sharp fight round -Le Verguier, and an advance all along the line in which the -objectives were taken and the tanks did some particularly fine work. -Tanks and barrages that day combined to keep the Australian losses at -a very low figure, and yet some 40 guns and 4500 prisoners had been -taken before next morning. The First Australian Division on the left -secured all the front defences which guarded the main Hindenburg -position, while the Fourth on the right worked its way well forward, -though hardly level with its neighbours. The Ninth Corps on the -right had also come on, though it was also rather behind the -Australians. The average advance of the latter amounted to three -miles in depth on a four-mile front. - -Nothing could be more in-and-out than the German fighting during all -this stage of the war. Sometimes their conduct was heroic in the -extreme, sometimes it was exceedingly cowardly and slack. The -observer could not but recall the famous description which an -American General of old gave of his militia when he said with native -raciness that "they either fought like the devil or ran like hell." -The machine-gunners were usually, however, in the former category, -and they, with the heavy guns, represented the real resistance, while -the infantry only needed to be reached--in some cases not even -that--to throw up their hands and come over as joyful captives. -There were already two Germans in British hands for every Briton in -Germany, in spite of the heavy losses in March and April. - -{66} - -[Sidenote: Sept. 18.] - -Returning to the Third Corps, which we left in front of the -Hindenburg system in the second week of September in the Epéhy -district. The obstacle in front of the British was very formidable, -for it consisted of their own old trench lines of March, with the -Hindenburg system behind them. They had now reached the former -British reserve line which had Ronssoy, Lempire, Epéhy, and Peizières -as _points d'appui_. It was a front so strong that in March it is -doubtful if the Germans could have carried it had the line not given -way elsewhere. It was particularly necessary that the enemy should -hold on to this stretch, because it covered the point where the great -Canal du Nord ran under a tunnel for six miles between Bellicourt and -Vandhuile--the only place where tanks could be used for an advance. -The Germans had therefore massed strong forces here, including their -famous Alpine Corps. - -The first task of the Third Corps was to get possession of the old -British line in front of it, whence observation could be got of the -Hindenburg position. This attack would form part of a general -movement by the two southern Corps of the Third Army, the three Corps -of the Fourth Army, and the northern portion of the First French -Army. On that great day of battle, September 18, there was a -universal advance along the line, which was carried out in the case -of the Third Corps by the Seventy-fourth Division (Girdwood) on the -right, the Eighteenth (Lee) right centre, the Twelfth (Higginson) -left centre, and the Fifty-eighth Division left. Many of the -characteristics of old trench warfare had come back into the battle, -which was no longer open fighting, but is to be conceived as an -attack upon innumerable scattered {67} trenches and posts very -strongly held by the Germans, and their ultimate reduction by -independent platoons and companies acting under their own regimental -officers. - -The advance was at 5.20 in the morning, with a thick mist and driving -rain to cover, and also to confuse, the movement. The Yeomen of the -Seventy-fourth upon the right came away in excellent style, keeping -in close touch with the Australian left, and were soon in possession -of the Templeux quarries, a very formidable position. At the other -end of the line a brigade of the Fifty-eighth Londoners did -excellently well, and by 10 o'clock had a good grip upon the village -of Peizières. In the centre, however, the resistance was very stiff -and the losses heavy. None the less the Eighteenth Division, which -has always been a particularly difficult unit to stop, made their way -through Ronssoy and Lempire. The Eighteenth Division did wonderful -work that day, and though nominally only the 54th and 55th Brigades -were engaged, they were each strengthened by a battalion from the -spare brigade. There were particular difficulties in the path of the -55th Brigade, but General Wood personally accompanied the leading -battalion and so kept in touch with the situation, varying his -activities by throwing bricks and old boots down a German dug-out, -and so bringing out 20 prisoners as his own personal take. He was -wounded in the course of the day. Ronssoy, which fell to the 55th -Brigade, was held by the Alexander Regiment of Prussian Guards, -several hundred samples being taken for the British cages. The -taking of Lempire, carried out mainly by the 11th Royal Fusiliers, -was also a very gallant affair, though it was a day or two before it -{68} was completely in British possession. The Twelfth, which is -also an all-English division with a splendid fighting record, was -held for a time before Epéhy, but would take no denial, and after -heavy losses and severe g fighting was east of that village by 11 -o'clock. Thus by midday the whole line of villages was in the hands -of General Butler's Corps. The left was out of touch with the Fifth -Corps, but all else was in perfect order. These positions were full -of wire and concrete, and were defended by the hardy German Alpine -Corps who fought to the death, so that the achievement was a great -one. - -All four divisions endeavoured to improve their positions in the -afternoon, but they had no great success. The Seventy-fourth -Division did the best, as on the right it was able to secure -Benjamin's Post, but on the left it was held up by the general -stagnation of the line. The centre divisions met a German -counter-attack delivered by the Hundred and twenty-first Division, -who had been rushed up in buses from Maretz, and this they entirely -dispersed, but neither they nor the Fifty-eighth on the left were -able to make any notable advance. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 21.] - -The troops were now faced by a perfect warren of trenches and posts -which were held with great gallantry by the Alpine Corps. There was -no rest for the British, and the night of the 18/19th was spent by -the same men who had been fighting all day in bombing up the trenches -and endeavouring to enlarge their gains. The same sort of fighting, -carried on by small groups of determined men led by subalterns or -non-commissioned officers, and faced by other small groups equally -determined, went on along the whole line during September 19 and 20. -{69} In those two days the advance went steadily on, in spite of many -a local rebuff and many a temporary check. On September 21 the -battle was renewed still in the same fashion with heavy losses upon -both sides. At one time the steady flow of the British tide turned -for a time to an ebb, as a very strong German counter-attack came -rolling into it, and swept it back along the whole front from the -positions which it had overflowed in the morning. The Seventy-fourth -was forced out of Quinnemont Farm, the Eighteenth out of Doleful -Post, the Twelfth were checked at Bird Trench, while the -Fifty-eighth, intermingled with men from the right wing of the Fifth -Corps, could not get past Kildare Avenue. These fanciful names, -unseen on any save a large-scale trench map, bulked large in this -bloody battle, for they were master points which controlled the -ground around. The sun set with the Germans in the ascendant, and -the British clawing desperately at a series of posts and farms which -they could just hold against very heavy pressure. One of the most -severe engagements was that of the 10th Essex of the 53rd Brigade -when they attempted the Knoll, a position from which the whole -Hindenburg Line would have been exposed. It was said by experienced -soldiers that more severe machine-gun fire had seldom been seen than -on this occasion, and the tanks engaged were unable to use their own -guns, so thick were the driving storms of bullets which beat upon -their iron sides and searched every aperture. The Essex men lost -heavily, and the Knoll was not taken. This and the other posts -mentioned above were the cause of much trouble to the Americans on -September 27. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 22.] - -It was a disappointing day, but the British soldiers, {70} dog-weary -as they were, were in no mood to leave matters undecided. The -operations must be carried to a successful end. "Hard pounding, -gentlemen," as the great Duke said, "but we shall see who can pound -longest!" Just after midnight the tired ranks were stumbling forward -once more, determined to have those posts back if human resolution -could win them. They had their reward, and it was a conspicuous -illustration of the maxim that, however weary you may be, the enemy -may be even more so. Before the full light of morning half the line -of posts was in the hands of the persevering British. The capture of -Bracton Post by Colonel Dawson's 6th West Kents was a particularly -brilliant bit of work. The success stretched along the whole Corps -front, and though the afternoon of September 22 saw a whole series of -counter-attacks, especially upon the Seventy-fourth and Eighteenth -Divisions, there was no weakening of the new line. One German -battalion engaged in these counter-attacks was literally annihilated -as a barrage fell behind them through which they could not retire. -It is on record that in spite of the very arduous service the spirits -and morale of the men were never higher. Twice after a German -repulse the men of the 6th Northants and 11th Royal Fusiliers could -not be held back from jumping out of the trenches and tearing after -them, while a stretcher-bearer was observed to run up and down the -parados of the trench throwing cartridges down to the defenders and -shouting, "Shoot, boys, shoot!" - -By September 23 the Third Corps had gained most of those posts which -had been its objectives on September 18, and if the battle took -longer than had been anticipated it was all the greater drain upon -{71} the worn resources of the Germans. They were still intent upon -making machines do the work of men, and it was no unusual thing to -take about as many machine-guns as prisoners in some of their posts, -The situation was still not quite clear on the left, where the right -flank of the Fifth Corps was engaged in severe local fighting in the -neighbourhood of Kildare and Limerick Post. The Egg Post on the -front of the Eighteenth Division had also been able to maintain -itself in the German line. These various isolated strong points were -the same which had held out with such unavailing gallantry on March -21, when, instead of forming the German rear, they were the extreme -outliers of Gough's Army. - -Whilst the Third Corps on the left of the Fourth Army had been -gradually fighting its way forward from September 18 onwards, beating -down one after the other the outposts and obstacles which, like the -moraine before a glacier, formed a rugged line in front of the great -main Hindenburg system, Sir John Monash and his men were keeping pace -with them, step by step, on their right, the First Australian -Division being in close liaison on September 18 with the -Seventy-fourth Yeomanry. Many a separate volume will be written upon -the exploits of our Australian brothers, and General Monash has -himself written a record of their last glorious hundred days, so that -the chronicler has the less compunction if he is not always able to -give the amount of detail which he would desire. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 18.] - -At 5.20 on September 18 the Australians went forward with a rapidity -which seems to have completely taken aback the German defenders, who -in many cases ran from their guns, or threw up their {72} hands in -detachments, when they saw the active figures of the infantrymen -springing eagerly forward behind the line of tanks. The weather was -bad, the ground slippery with rain, and the attack expected, but none -of these factors interfered with the result. The First Australians, -as stated, were in the line on the left, the 1st and 3rd Brigades in -the van, while on the right were the 4th and 12th Brigades of the -Fourth Australian Division in close touch with the British First -Division on their right. By midday everything had gone down before -them, and the measure of their success was the 146 officers and 3900 -men with 77 guns which formed their trophies before evening. On one -side they had reached Le Verguier, and on the other they were past -Templeux. A minefield containing thirty-five mines was found in -front of the Fourth Australian Division, another instance of the fact -that the tanks had brought a nautical element into warfare. The -Australian casualties were surprisingly light considering their -splendid results, for they did not amount to more than a thousand men. - -Some description must now be given of the work of the Ninth Corps, -which had assembled under General Braithwaite on the extreme right of -the British Army and which first came into action on September 18 in -this hard fight for the Hindenburg Outpost Line. The Corps consisted -at this time of three divisions, the First, Sixth, and Thirty-second, -under Strickland, Marden, and Lambert. On September 18 the Corps -attacked with the Sixth Division in touch with the French on the -right, and the First Division with the Fourth Australians on the -left. The order of brigades {73} from the right was 71, 16, 1, and -2. It was known that two German divisions, the Seventy-ninth and -Twenty-fifth, with two others in reserve, were lying opposite behind -strong defences, so that a hard battle might well be expected. - -The Thirty-fourth French Division on the immediate right brought off -a very useful and successful coup on September 17 by capturing Round -Hill and part of Savy Wood, which reassured General Marden as to the -safety of his right flank. This division appeared to have the more -difficult task as Badger Copse, the village of Fresnoy, and part of -the very strong system known as the Quadrilateral came within their -area. - -The attack went forward under pelting rain at 5.20 in the morning of -September 18. Following the operations from the north we have to -deal first with the 2nd Brigade on the flank. The left-hand -battalion, the 2nd Sussex, kept up with the Australians, who had -advanced without a check and carried every obstacle. The 2nd King's -Royal Rifles, on the other hand, had lost direction and, wandering -too far south across the face of their neighbours, found themselves -mixed up with the Sixth Division in its fruitless attempt upon the -powerfully defended village of Fresnoy. The 1st Brigade, to the -south, was led by the 1st Camerons and the 1st Loyal North -Lancashires. The former stormed on, breaking through all opposition -and throwing out defensive flanks as their valour carried them ahead -of the line. Meanwhile the failure of the Sixth Division to take -Fresnoy made it impossible to pass along the valley which is -overlooked by that village, so that the right of the First Division -was entirely hung up. On the {74} other hand, the 2nd King's Royal -Rifles recovered their bearings as the day went on, and fought their -way up the right side of the Omignon valley in splendid style until -they were in touch with the 2nd Sussex on the northern slope. In the -south, however, the task of the Sixth Division continued to be a very -hard one, and the Seventy-ninth German Division resisted with great -determination. The Quadrilateral consisted of a system of trenches -sited on the highest part of the plateau between Holnon and Fayet, -its northern face at this time forming part of the German front line. -This proved to be an exceedingly difficult work to silence, as -reinforcements could be dribbled up through cleverly concealed -communication trenches. In spite of everything, however, the 71st -Brigade and their French neighbours captured Holnon village and the -western edge of the Quadrilateral by 8 A.M. The main body of the -work was not yet taken, however, so the East Anglians of the 71st -Brigade had to form a defensive line facing towards it and the -village of Selency, to meet any counter-attack which might sweep up -against the flank of the Corps. The left of the line then got -forward in safety, and the 2nd Brigade was able to report at noon -that both they and the Fourth Australians were on their extreme -objective. Indeed the latter, having completely crumpled up the One -hundred and nineteenth German Division, were now considerably ahead -of the allotted line. - -Berthaucourt had been captured by the First Division, but progress in -the Fresnoy direction was still very slow. About 3.30 P.M. hostile -counter-attacks were launched south of Berthaucourt and opposite -Fresnoy. These were repulsed by steady {75} rifle-fire, but the -general situation was still obscure. All the afternoon there was -very heavy fighting on the front of the Sixth Division, especially -east of Holnon village, and on the west side of the Quadrilateral. -The French had been held up on the right. So matters remained until -evening. It had been a day of hard work and varying success on this -portion of the line, but the capture of 18 officers and 541 men with -8 field-guns showed that some advance had been made. It was short, -however, of what had been hoped. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 19.] - -The next morning saw the battle renewed. The neighbourhood of -Fresnoy and of the Quadrilateral was now more strongly held than -ever, the Germans being encouraged, no doubt, by their successful -defence of the day before. The fighting during this day was -desultory, and no particular advance was made by either division. In -the south the French failed to capture Manchester Hill, which was an -ugly menace to the right flank of the Ninth Corps. - -The Forty-sixth Division (Boyd) had been added to the strength of the -Ninth Corps, and when this welcome addition had been put in upon the -left wing it enabled the others to contract their front and thicken -their array. At 7 P.M. on September 22 the Germans attacked the -Forty-sixth Division in its new position, just east of Berthaucourt, -but they were driven back after a slight initial success. - -There was a fresh attack on September 24 in which the Ninth Corps -co-operated with the Thirty-sixth Corps on its right, in order to try -and overcome the German strongholds on the right of their front which -were holding them off from the Hindenburg Line. The order of the -British line was that {76} the Sixth Division was on the right, the -First in the centre, and the Forty-sixth on the left. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 24.] - -Although this attack, which was launched at 5 A.M., was expected by -the enemy, good progress was made along the whole front. The -Quadrilateral again proved, however, that it was a very formidable -obstacle, and there was stout resistance from Pontruet village, just -east of Berthaucourt. The Sixth Division had closed in on the -Quadrilateral from north, west, and south, and were at close grips -with it at all three quarters. There was continuous bomb-fighting -all day in this neighbourhood, but the situation was still obscure, -and until it cleared no progress could be made towards Selency. The -First Division in the centre had made splendid progress, but the -Forty-sixth Division had been unable to take Pontruet, and the guns -from this village struck full against the left flank of the 2nd -Brigade in its advance, causing very heavy losses to the 1st -Northamptons. So murderous were the casualties in this portion of -the field that the position of the forward troops was untenable, and -the remains of the Northamptons had to throw back a protective flank -to the north to cover the approaches from Pontruet. The 2nd Sussex -on their right managed to retain their advanced position, and one -company, though very weak and short of cartridges, baffled a -counter-attack by a sudden bayonet charge in which they took 50 -prisoners. - -The attack upon Fresnoy village was made by the 3rd Brigade, the 1st -Gloucesters being immediately opposite to it. Advancing under a -strong barrage the West Country men went straight for their -objective, taking both the village and the strongly organised {77} -cemetery to the south of it. On the left of the village the British -were held up by strong wire and several vicious machine-guns, but the -Germans made the gallant mistake of running out in front of the wire -with bombs in their hands, upon which they were charged and many of -them were taken by the Gloucesters. The German gunners in the rear -then turned their pieces upon both captors and captives, so the -company concerned was held down in shell holes all day and withdrew -as best they could after dark. The 3rd Brigade then extended, -getting into touch with the 2nd Brigade near Cornovillers Wood. - -On the left of the 3rd Brigade the strong position of Fresnoy -Cemetery had been carried, and the tireless infantry swarmed on into -Marronnières Wood, which was full of lurking machine-guns and needed -careful handling. It was finally surrounded by the 3rd Brigade, who -mopped it up at their leisure, taking out of it a large number of -prisoners. The 2nd King's Royal Rifles of the 2nd Brigade kept -parallel with their advance, and also cleared a considerable stretch -of woodland, while the 3rd Brigade, seeing signs of weakening on the -German front, pushed forward and seized Gricourt, a most important -point, the 2nd Welsh gaining the village and driving back a -subsequent counter-attack. Finally, the complete victory in this -portion of the field was rounded off when, after dark, the 2nd King's -Royal Rifles secured a dangerous sunken road across the front which -had been a storm-centre all day. - -Meanwhile the Forty-sixth Division had fought its way to the north of -Pontruet, but as this unit was relied upon for the great pending -operations on the Hindenburg Main Line, it was thought impolitic {78} -to involve it too deeply in local fighting. The line was drawn, -therefore, to the west of the village. The total captures of the day -had been 30 officers and 1300 men. The trench to the south had also -had a good day, capturing all their objectives except Manchester Hill. - -The Sixth Division had not yet cleared the Quadrilateral, and the -whole of September 25 was devoted to that desperate but necessary -work. It was a case of bomb and bayonet, with slow laborious -progress. Finally, about 6 P.M. General Harden was able to announce -that the whole wide entanglement had been occupied, though not yet -mopped up. The village of Selency had also fallen, while on the -right the French had attacked and captured Manchester Hill. Strong -resistance was encountered by the First Division near Gricourt. The -German soldiers were again and again seen to hold up their hands, and -then to be driven into the fight once more by their officers with -their revolvers. Late on the 26th, after a short hurricane -bombardment, the 3rd Brigade rushed forward again. The enemy had -disappeared into their dug-outs under the stress of the shells, so -that the British infantry were able to get on to them before they -could emerge and to make many prisoners. Colonel Tweedie of the -Gloucesters was in local command of this well-managed affair. -Altogether it was a good day for the First Division, which had gained -a line of positions, repelled heavy counters, and secured 800 -prisoners, 600 falling to the 3rd Brigade, who had done the heavy end -of the work. - -All was now ready for the great move which should break the spine of -the whole German resistance. There was still some preliminary -struggling for positions {79} of departure and final readjustments of -the line, but they were all part of the great decisive operation of -September 29 and may best be included in that account. The -chronicler can never forget how, late upon the eve of the battle, he -drove in a darkened motor along pitch-black roads across the rear of -the Army, and saw the whole eastern heaven flickering with war light -as far as the eyes could see, as the aurora rises and falls in the -northern sky. So terrific was the spectacle that the image of the -Day of Judgment rose involuntarily to his mind. It was indeed the -day of Judgment for Germany--the day when all those boastful words -and wicked thoughts and arrogant actions were to meet their fit -reward, and the wrong-doers to be humbled in the dust. On that day -Germany's last faint hope was shattered, and every day after was but -a nearer approach to that pit which had been dug for her by her -diplomatists, her journalists, her professors, her junkers, and all -the vile, noisy crew who had brought this supreme cataclysm upon the -world. - -The reader will note then that we leave the Fourth Army, consisting -from the right of the Ninth Corps, the Australians, and the Third -Corps, in front of the terrific barrier of the main Hindenburg Line. -We shall now hark back and follow the advance of Byng's Third Army -from its attack on August 21st until, five weeks later, it found -itself in front of the same position, carrying on the line of its -comrades in the south. - -[Illustration: Position of British Corps, end of September 1918.] - - - - -{80} - -CHAPTER IV - -THE ATTACK OF BYNG's THIRD ARMY - -August 21, 1918, to September 29, 1918 - -Advance of Shute's Fifth Corps--Great feat in crossing the -Ancre--Across the old battlefield--Final position of Fifth Corps -opposite Hindenburg's Main Line--Advance of Haldane's Sixth -Corps--Severe fighting--Arrival of Fifty-second Division--Formation -of Fergusson's Seventeenth Corps--Recapture of Havrincourt--Advance -of Harper's Fourth Corps--Great tenacity of the troops--The New -Zealanders and the Jaeger--Final position before the decisive battle. - -[Sidenote: August 21.] - -On August 20 General Mangin had pushed forward the Tenth French Army, -which formed the left of his force, and attacked along a sixteen-mile -front from the Oise to the Aisne, thus connecting up the original -operations with those initiated by Marshal Haig. The movement was -very successful, taking some 10,000 prisoners and gaining several -miles of ground. We have now to turn to the left of Rawlinson's -advance, and to consider the new movement which brought Byng's Third -British Army into the fray. - -[Illustration: Advance of First, Third, and Fourth British Armies -from August 21, 1918, to September 2, 1918. Arrows point to the -Rupture of the Quéant-Drocourt Line] - -Upon the left of the Third Corps, which was, as already described, -fighting its way along the north bank of the Somme, there lay the -Fifth Corps (Shute). On its left was the Fourth Corps (Harper), and -north of that the Sixth Corps (Haldane). It was to these {81} three -units that the opening of the attack was entrusted. The frontage was -about ten miles, extending from Moyenneville in the north to the -Ancre in the south, so that it just cleared the impossible country of -the first Somme battlefield--which even now a spectator cannot survey -without a feeling of wondering horror, so churned up is it from end -to end by the constant thresh of shells, burst of mines, and the -spade-work of three great armies. The result of the first day's -fighting was an advance of several miles along the whole front, with -the capture of Beaucourt, Bucquoy, Moyenneville, and other villages, -the farthest advance coming close to the Arras-Albert Railway, and to -the village of Achiet-le-Grand. - -There had been some recent retirement of the German line at Serre, -which gave the clue to the British Commanders that a general retreat -might take place on this particular portion of the front. It was -very necessary, therefore, to strike at once while there was -certainly something solid to strike against--and all the more -necessary if there was a chance of catching the enemy in the act of -an uncompleted withdrawal. - -It was nearly five o'clock when the battle began, and it was the turn -of the Germans to find how fog may disarrange the most elaborate -preparations for defence. The mist was so thick that it could only -be compared to that which had shrouded the German advance on March -21. Several miles of undulating country lay immediately in front of -the attackers, leading up to a formidable line of defence, the old -Albert-Arras Railway lying with its fortified embankments right -across the path of the British Army. {82} Bucquoy in the centre of -the line, with the Logeast Wood to the east of it, and the muddy, -sluggish Ancre with its marshy banks on the extreme right, were -notable features in the ground to be assaulted. - -The Fifth Corps, under General Shute, followed the curve of the River -Ancre on a front of 9000 yards. It was poorly provided with guns as -the Corps to the left required a concentration of artillery, and it -had no tanks since the marshy valley and sluggish stream lay before -it. The Thirty-eighth Welsh Division (Cubitt) lay on the right and -Campbell's Twenty-first on the left, each of them with two brigades -in front and one in reserve. The Seventeenth Division (Robertson) -was in support. The problem in front of General Shute's Corps was a -most difficult one. Before it lay this evil watercourse which had -been flooded by the Germans and was 300 yards wide at one part. All -bridges were gone, and the banks were low and boggy. The main stream -was over six feet deep, and its channel could not be distinguished -from the general flood. The whole morass was covered by a tangle of -fallen trees, reeds, and artificial obstructions. To the east of the -river ran high ground, strongly held and fortified, from Tara Hill -above Albert to the Thiepval Height, south of Grandcourt. The west -bank was so overlooked that no one could move unscathed. And yet it -was clear that until this formidable obstacle was surmounted it was -neither possible for Rawlinson to advance from Albert, nor for the -Fourth Corps on the left to assault Miraumont. - -The movements of Shute's Corps on August 21 were preliminary to their -real attack. On that date the Twenty-first Division advanced on the -left {83} flank, in close touch with the Forty-second Division of the -Fourth Corps. Beaucourt was taken in the movement. By this -operation the Twenty-first Division reached a point where the flood -was narrower at St. Pierre Divion, and here some bridges could be -constructed and preparations made for the passage. - -In the case of Harper's Fourth Corps on the left the advance on -August 21 was limited, since no serious attack could be made upon -Miraumont while the high ground to the south was untaken. At this -date Harper's Corps consisted of five divisions, the Fifth, -Thirty-seventh, Forty-second, Sixty-third, and the New Zealanders. -Of these the Thirty-seventh Division (Williams) was on the left, -covering the flank of the Sixth Corps, while the Forty-second -(Solly-Flood) was on the right. We shall now follow in the first -instance the work of the Fifth Corps on the extreme right from the -beginning of the battle until the pause preceding the attack of -September 18. There are, it is true, objections to continuous -narrative, since it stands in the way of a bird's-eye view of the -whole operation; but on the other hand the object and scope of any -series of advances become unintelligible unless they are linked up -from day to day. We shall therefore take the Fifth Corps as one -story until it reaches the Hindenburg Line. We shall then follow the -work of the other flank corps of Byng's Third Army, which was -Haldane's Sixth Corps, bringing it up to the same point. It will -finally, after we have established two solid bastions, be easy to -deal with the central unit, Harper's Fourth Corps, which filled up -the space between. We shall {84} then have a narrative which will -cover four strenuous weeks in which the Third Army carried out a -notable advance. - -[Sidenote: August 22.] - -It has been explained that Shute's Fifth Corps found itself with 9000 -yards of river in front of it, and that on August 21 the Twenty-first -Division had seized a favourable point for crossing near St. Pierre -Divion. There was no further advance on the morning of the 22nd, but -to the south Rawlinson's left was fighting its way to the eastern -exits of Albert, and the bridges in the town were being got ready for -use. All day a heavy fire was kept up on the German lines east of -the river, and especially upon the rising ground called Usna Hill. -As the day passed small bodies of troops began to cross the Ancre -from the Fifth Corps front and to make a lodgement at the farther -side. South-west of Thiepval part of the 14th Welsh from the 114th -Brigade, wading over breast deep with their rifles and pouches held -high, got into a trench on the farther bank and held their own. The -Twenty-first Division also got some companies across at St. Pierre, -while it beat off several attacks upon the north side of the river. -During the night the 50th Brigade of the Seventeenth Division was -slipped into the line, between Campbell's North Countrymen on the -left and Cubitt's Welshmen on the right. General Shute was now ready -for his great effort in crossing the river. - -The first stage in this difficult operation was carried out early on -August 23, when the 113th Welsh Brigade, which had quickly passed -over the Albert bridges, made a sudden attack about dawn on Usna -Hill, at the same time as the Eighteenth Division to the south -attacked Tara Hill. The position was {85} taken with 200 prisoners, -while the 115th Welsh Brigade got up to the chalk-pit, east of -Aveluy, where they joined hands with their comrades on the Usna line. -Thus, before evening of August 23 the Thirty-eighth Division was east -of the river from Albert to Aveluy, while the Twenty-first still held -its bridgeheads at St. Pierre Divion. The slope of the Thiepval -Ridge with all its fortifications still lay in front, and this was -the next objective of the Fifth Corps. It was carried by a night -attack on August 23-24. - -[Sidenote: August 23.] - -A large portion of the central line was so flooded that no advance -was possible. It was planned, therefore, that the assault should be -on both wings, the area around Authuille being nipped out and cleared -at a later stage. The operation began on the evening of August 23 by -a movement along the northern bank of the river to the south-east of -Miraumont, so as to partly encircle that village and help forward the -Fourth Corps on the left, who were still held up in front of it. The -main Ancre attack was carried out by the 113th Brigade on the right, -who came away with a fine impetus on the eastern slopes of Usna Hill, -capturing La Boiselle and reaching a point 1100 yards west of -Ovillers. The 114th Brigade on the left had with great difficulty -and corresponding valour crossed the Ancre under machine-gun fire and -had established themselves on the slopes, fighting their way forward -all day until they reached a point north-west of Pozières. All -around Thiepval there was close fighting in which this brigade acted -in close liaison with the 50th Brigade. In this struggle many -gallant deeds were done, and it is recorded, among others, how -Lieutenant Griffiths of the Welsh {86} Regiment advanced using his -Lewis gun as if it were a rifle. He is said to have slain sixteen -Germans in this novel fashion before his own wounds brought him -fainting to the ground. According to the plan the two converging -brigades left a large central section untouched, which was promptly -mopped up by the 115th Brigade, so that every man of the -Thirty-eighth Division was engaged in this fine operation. - -[Sidenote: August 24.] - -Farther to the left the 6th Dorsets of the 50th Brigade, in spite of -gas clouds and machine-guns had crossed the Ancre in its narrowest -reach, where some sort of bridges had been prepared. With great -energy and initiative they cleared up the front trenches and pockets -so as to give room for a deployment, pushing their patrols out -towards Thiepval, but they were driven in again by an attack from the -Schwaben Redoubt. The rest of the 50th Brigade (Gwyn-Thomas) had -followed, most of the infantry wading across in the dark up to their -waists in mud and water. Pushing on, as part of the general advance, -all three battalions of the 50th Brigade went forward, capturing -several hundred prisoners, but deviating so far from their course -that when they thought and reported that they had captured -Courcelette it was really Pozières which they had got. In the early -afternoon Allason's 52nd Brigade was pushed in on the right of the -50th Brigade, connecting them up with the Welshmen. The mistake in -the direction of the 50th Brigade was not an unmixed evil, for while -it left the Twenty-first Division with its right flank exposed and in -considerable difficulty, it made a pocket of a large number of -Germans in front of the Welshmen, 900 of whom were captured. General -{87} Robertson saved the situation on the left by pushing in his -reserve brigade, the 51st (Dudgeon), and so filling the gap between -his division and that of General Campbell. - -The latter division, especially the 64th Brigade, which had pushed on -to Miraumont the night before, had some desperate fighting. The -whole brigade was passed in single file over two foot-bridges. At -11.30 P.M. they were assembled upon the south bank and ready to -start. A barrage had been arranged for their attack, but owing to -changes in plan it was not thick or effective. The advance was made -by the 15th Durhams on the right and the 9th Yorkshire Light Infantry -on the left with the 1st East Yorks in support, the column being -guided by means of compass bearing, and by the presence of the Ancre -on the left flank. This nocturnal march in the face of the enemy was -a very remarkable and daring one, for the ground was pitted with -craters and there were two ravines with sheer sides at right angles -to the advance. Touch was kept by shouting, which seems to have -confused rather than informed the enemy, who only fought in patches. -Grandcourt was overrun with 100 prisoners, 20 machine-guns, and 4 -field-pieces. Early in the morning General M'Culloch, who had -conducted the operation, was badly wounded and the command passed to -Colonel Holroyd Smith of the Durhams. When full daylight came the -brigade was deeply embedded in the German line, and the enemy closed -in upon it but their attacks were repulsed. The soldiers were -compelled to lie flat, however, in order to escape from the heavy -fire. The 110th Brigade of the same division had advanced on the -right, but it was acting in close liaison {88} with the Seventeenth -Division, and independent of the isolated unit, which was now -completely alone on the hill south of Miraumont, their East Yorkshire -supports being at Grandcourt, and so much out of touch with the -advanced line that the Officer Commanding imagined the stragglers to -be all that was left of the brigade. The first intimation of the -true state of affairs was given by the wounded Brigadier as he passed -on his way to the casualty station. About 10.30 Captain Spicer, the -Brigade Major, got back by crawling, and reported that the advanced -line still held, though weak in numbers. Aeroplane reconnaissance -confirmed the report. All day the valiant band held out until in the -evening the advance of the Forty-second Division on their left, and -of their own comrades of the 110th Brigade on their right, rescued -them from a desperate situation. Their work had been exceedingly -useful, as their presence had partially paralysed the whole German -system of defence. Great credit in this remarkable affair was due -not only to General Campbell and his staff, upon whom the initial -responsibility lay, but to the gallant and inspiring leading of -General M'Culloch and of the battalion leaders, Holroyd Smith and -Greenwood. It was indeed a wonderful feat to advance three miles -over such country upon a pitch-dark night and to reach and hold an -objective which was outflanked on both sides by the successful German -defence. The troops had been heartened up by messages with promises -of speedy succour which were dropped by aeroplanes during the day. - -The 62nd Brigade had now pushed in between the 64th on the right and -the Forty-second Division {89} on the left, touching the latter in -the neighbourhood of Pys, so that by the late afternoon of August 24 -the whole line was solid and the crossing of the Ancre with the -capture of the ridge were accomplished facts. There have been few -more deft pieces of work in the war. The German fixed line had been -driven back and the remaining operations consisted from this date -onwards in a pursuit rather than an attack. It was a pursuit, -however, where the retreat was always covered by an obstinate -rearguard, so that there was many a stiff fight in front of the Fifth -Corps in the days to come. - -Divisions had been instructed that the pursuit was to be continued in -a relentless fashion, and Corps cavalry, drawn from the 8th and 20th -Hussars, were told off to throw out patrols and keep in close touch -with the German rearguard. The immediate objectives of the infantry -were Longueval and Flers for the Welshmen, Gueudecourt for the -Seventeenth, and Beaulencourt for the Twenty-first Division. The -general movement was extraordinarily like the advance in the spring -of 1917, but the British were now more aggressive and the Germans -were less measured and sedate in their dispositions. On August 25 -the pressure was sustained along the whole line, and the Germans, -fighting hard with their machine-guns which swept the exposed ridges, -were none the less being pushed eastwards the whole day. The Welsh -took Contalmaison and reached the edge of Mametz Wood, where so many -of their comrades had fallen just two years before. The Seventeenth, -fighting hard, captured Courcelette and Martinpuich. The -Twenty-first got Le Sars and the Butte de Warlencourt, that strange -old tumulus which now marked {90} the joining point with the Fourth -Corps still advancing on the left. At no point was there a battle -and at no point was there peace, but a constant ripple of fire rose -and fell along the thin fluctuating line. It is noted in the diaries -of some of the British Generals as being the first day of purely open -warfare in offensive fighting which their troops had ever experienced. - -[Sidenote: August 26.] - -On the morning of August 26 the Welsh overran Bazentin-le-Grand, but -the 115th Brigade were held up for a time at the old stumbling-block -High Wood. Later in the day it was taken, however, while the 113th -Brigade got as far as the edge of Longueval, meeting a severe -counter-attack which was rolled back in ruin by rifles and -machine-guns. The Seventeenth Division gained some ground, but both -brigades, the 51st and 52nd, were held up by a withering fire before -reaching Flers. The 64th Brigade on their left met with equal -opposition and could not get forward. Everywhere there were signs of -a strong German rally for the evident purpose of covering the removal -of their guns and stores. It was well maintained and well organised, -so that the object was attained. It became clearer with every day -that an artillery barrage was still a necessity for an infantry -advance. - -[Sidenote: August 27.] - -On August 27 the advance was continued. Outside the Fifth Corps -boundaries the Fourth Corps on the left was encircling Bapaume and -pushing advanced guards on to Maplecourt and Frémicourt, while -Rawlinson's men on the right were facing Trones Wood and the -Guillemont Ridge. In the early morning, with a moon shining -brightly, the whole front of the Fifth Corps was on fire once more -{91} and rolling eastwards. By 9 A.M. the 113th Brigade were through -Longueval and in touch with the Fourth Army near the Sugar Refinery. -The 114th Brigade attempted to pass north of Delville Wood, but after -some confused fighting were held on the line of the Flers-Longueval -Road. Flers, however, had been taken by the 50th Brigade, though the -Germans made a strong fight of it and at one time reoccupied the -village. Whatever the general morale of the enemy may have been -there was no immediate weakening in the actual fighting power of his -line. The Twenty-first Division made only a moderate advance, but -they got ahead of their neighbours. The 6th Dragoon Guards, who were -now furnishing the patrols, were withdrawn, as it was clear that the -Germans meant to stand. - -[Sidenote: August 28.] - -On the morning of August 28 they were still in position, and the day -was mainly devoted to reorganising the infantry and bombarding the -German lines, together with all the roads which lay eastwards. Early -next morning the Welsh advanced once more, the 113th Brigade on one -side of Delville Wood and the 114th on the other, with the result -that this sinister graveyard was surrounded and the line carried -definitely to the east of it. Morval still held out, but Lesbœufs -was overrun. There was weakening all along the German line, which -meant no doubt that they had completed the withdrawal of their more -essential impedimenta. Flers and Gueudecourt both fell to the -Seventeenth Division, almost without a battle. The Twenty-first -Division was also able to move forward with no great difficulty as -far as Beaulencourt and the line of the road from that village to -Bapaume. This new line was held {92} with great determination by the -enemy, who were still, as must be admitted, masters of the situation -to the extent that though forced to retire they would still retire in -their own fashion. The Welsh attacking Morval that night found the -place was strongly held and no progress possible. - -[Sidenote: August 30.] - -August 30 was to show that the German rearguards were by no means -demoralised and were not to be unduly hustled. It is impossible not -to admire the constancy in adversity of Hans and Fritz and Michel, -whatever one may think of the mentality of the Vons who had placed -them in this desperate position. Morval still held its own against -the Welsh, and the Seventeenth Division could not reach the clear -line in front of them which is furnished by the Peronne-Bapaume Road. -Beaulencourt was also retained by the enemy, as the patrols -discovered to their cost. The line was still strong and menacing. -There was inaction on August 31, which was spent in bombardment and -preparation. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 1, 1-3.] - -At 2 A.M. on September 1 the Twenty-first Division attacked -Beaulencourt and carried it with a rush, and a strong attempt to -regain it after dawn cost the enemy heavy losses. During the morning -the Welshmen on the right flank attacked Morval and were at last -successful in taking this strong position. There was very heavy -fighting all day round Sailly-Sallisel, where the 113th and 115th -Welsh Brigades made repeated efforts to envelop and capture the -village. There were several checks, but the gallant Welshmen stuck -to their task, and before evening the place had fallen and the -general British line was well to the east of it. On the other hand, -the Seventeenth and Twenty-first Divisions {93} had a bad day in -front of Le Transloy and the Sugar Factory, having nothing to show -for considerable losses, the 9th West Ridings being especially hard -hit. None the less the Seventeenth was hard at it again next -morning, for it was imperative to keep up the pressure without any -relaxation. On this day, September 2, the plan was that the 50th and -52nd Brigades should work round on each side of the village while the -artillery kept the defenders from interfering. This attack, though -delayed for some time, eventually succeeded, the 6th Dorsets clearing -up the ruins, while the Twenty-first Division, after several brave -attempts, drove the tenacious German garrison out of the Sugar -Factory. The 10th West Yorkshires, under Colonel Thomas, did -particularly good work in linking up the two divisions. Altogether -it was a very satisfactory morning's work, and the 50th Brigade added -to it in the evening by capturing in a fine attack the village of -Rocquigny, and pushing patrols on into Barastre, which was found to -be empty. On this day, as the Corps front had contracted, the -Twenty-first Division was drawn back into reserve. It may be -remarked that in all these operations Robertson's Seventeenth -Division had the supreme satisfaction of hurling the enemy out of a -long series of villages which they had themselves been forced to -relinquish under the pressure of the great March advance. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 3-6.] - -It was clear now that the Germans, either of their own will or driven -by the constant pressure, were withdrawing their rearguards, so that -in the early morning of September 3 no touch could be gained by -patrols. By 6 A.M. the British advance guards were well on their -way, streaming forward to the {94} Canal du Nord, from the eastern -bank of which the eternal machine-guns were rapping away once more, -stopping the 50th Brigade in an attempt to make a direct advance. -There were no bridges left, so nothing further could be done that -day, which brought the corps front up to the western bank from -Manancourt to the north-east of Etricourt. On September 4, however, -the crossing was effected without any very great difficulty, and -bridge-heads established by both the divisions in the line. - -On September 5 the 114th Brigade attacked the trench system round -Equancourt without success. The 51st Brigade had better luck to the -north of the village and gained a good bit of ground. The 7th -Lincolns were held up with considerable loss in the first advance on -account of some misunderstanding about the starting-point and -insufficient touch with the Forty-second Division on their left. The -7th Borders, a battalion made up of Cumberland and Westmoreland -Yeomanry, carried on the attack and found the village deserted. The -day ended with the right flank of the Fifth Corps in touch with the -Third Corps to the north-west of Nurlu, while the left flank joined -the Fourth Corps north of Vallulart Wood. That night the -Twenty-first Division came back into line, taking the place of the -Welshmen who had done such splendid and strenuous service since -August 22. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 6-10.] - -September 6 and 7 were occupied in a slow but steady advance which -absorbed Equancourt, Fins, and Sorel-le-Grand. On September 8 -matters were less one-sided, as the Twenty-first Division, acting in -close liaison with Rawlinson at Peizières, attacked Vaucelette Farm -and Chapel Crossing. It {95} must have been with peculiar ardour and -joy that General Campbell and his men flung themselves upon the -positions which they had held so heroically upon March 21. Here -after six months were their complete vindication and revenge. The -fighting was carried on into September 9, the Seventeenth Division -joining in on the left in close touch with the New Zealanders of the -Fourth Corps. It was clear that the Germans meant standing if they -could and the struggle was a very hard one, but before evening much -of the ground had reverted to the two divisions which were both, by a -peculiar coincidence, more or less in their old positions. There -were attack and counter-attack, and a good price paid for all that -was gained. There are days when land is cheap and days when it is -the dearest thing upon earth. At the end of this fight the Germans -were in a continuous trench on one side of the ridge and the British -in a corresponding position on the other. It became more and more -clear that the days of pursuit and rearguard actions were over, and -that the whole British front in this quarter was up against a fixed -battle position of the enemy--or at the least against the strong -outposts in front of a fixed battle position. This important fact -regulates the whole situation up to the great attack of September 29. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 10-18.] - -September 10 and 11 were spent in local encounters in the Chapel -Crossing and Vaucelette Farm district, the Germans striving hard by -these outpost engagements to prevent the British line from getting -within striking distance of the old Hindenburg position, behind which -they hoped to rally their dishevelled forces. The British were -equally eager to break {96} down this screen and get at the solid -proposition behind it. The weather was terrible, rising at one time -to the height of a cyclone, which disarranged serious British -advance, the Fourth Corps on the left attacking the Trescault Spur, -while the Welsh, who had now relieved the Seventeenth Division, were -to go forward on their flank. The Germans clung desperately to their -ground, however, and after a long day of alternate advance and -retreat the British line was where it had been in the morning. A -position called African Trench lay in front of the Welshmen, and it -was not possible to carry it in face of the very severe machine-gun -fire. From this date until September 18 there was no advance and no -change on the front of the Fifth Corps save that Pinney's -Thirty-third Division came in to patch its worn array. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 18.] - -On September 18 the Fifth Corps attacked once more in conjunction -with Rawlinson's Army on its right, the final objective being the -trench lines south of Villers-Guislain-Gauche Wood. The advance was -made by the Welsh Division opposite to Gouzeaucourt, the Seventeenth -in front of Gauche Wood, and the Twenty-first to the immediate south. -It was preceded by field barrage, heavy barrage, machine barrage, -trench mortar bombardment, and every refinement of artillery practice -as elaborated in this long war. The results of a hard day's fighting -were rather mixed. The Welsh Division was held near Gouzeaucourt and -finished up in its own original line, leaving the left flank of the -52nd Brigade exposed. The two other divisions were able, after hard -fighting, to reach their objectives, including Gauche Wood. {97} The -Twenty-first Division had a particularly trying and yet successful -day, all three brigades being heavily engaged and enduring -considerable losses in capturing the very ground which they had held -on March 21. Their advance was complicated by a mine-field, laid -down by themselves and so well laid that it was still in a very -sensitive condition, while the dug-outs had been so undisturbed that -the 1st Lincolns actually found their own orderly papers upon the -table. In the fighting the 62nd Brigade led the way with complete -success, and it was not until the 64th and the 110th Brigades passed -through it and began to debouch over the old No Man's Land that the -losses became serious, Epéhy and Peizières being thorns in their -flesh. Colonel Holroyd Smith of the 15th Durhams was killed, but the -64th Brigade made good its full objective, the 1st East Yorks -capturing a German howitzer battery, together with the horses which -had just been hooked in. At one time the Germans got round the left -flank of the Division and the situation was awkward, but Colonel -Walsh of the 9th Yorks Light Infantry, with his H.Q. Staff, made a -dashing little attack on his own, and drove the enemy back, receiving -a wound in the exploit. The Twenty-first Division, save on the -right, had all its objectives. The left of the Third Corps had not -prospered equally well, so that a defensive line had to be built up -by Campbell in the south, while Robertson did the same in the north, -the whole new position forming a marked salient. Two efforts of the -enemy to regain the ground were beaten back. The southern divisions -had been much troubled by flanking fire from Gouzeaucourt, so an -effort was made that night to get possession of this place, the {98} -6th Dorsets and 10th West Yorkshires of the 50th Brigade suffering in -the attempt. This attack was led by General Sanders, who had -succeeded Gwyn, Thomas as Brigadier of the 50th, but he was himself -killed by a shell on September 20. Some 2000 prisoners and 15 -field-guns were the trophies taken in this operation by the Fifth -Corps. Gouzeaucourt was shortly afterwards evacuated, but there was -no other change on the front until the great battle which shattered -the Hindenburg Line and really decided the war. All of this -fighting, and especially that on September 18, has to be read in -conjunction with that already narrated in the story of the Fourth -Army on the right. - -Having brought Shute's Fifth Corps up to the eve of the big -engagement we shall now ask the reader to cast his mind back to -August 21, the first day of General Byng's advance, and to follow -Haldane's Sixth Corps on the northern flank of the Army during these -same momentous and strenuous weeks. It will then be more easy to -trace the operations of Harper's Fourth Corps, which was intermediate -between Shute and Haldane. - -[Sidenote: August 21.] - -Haldane's Sixth Corps, like its comrades of the Third Army, had gone -through the arduous days of March and had many a score to pay back to -the Germans. It was a purely British Corps, consisting upon the -first day of battle of five fine divisions, the Second (Pereira), -Third (Deverell), Sixty-second (Braithwaite), Fifty-ninth (Whigham), -and the Guards. With four Regular units out of five, Haldane's Sixth -Corps might have been the wraith of the grand old Mons army come back -to judgment. The First Cavalry Division, also reminiscent of Mons, -{99} was in close support, ready to take advantage of any opening. - -The first advance in the early morning was made by the 99th Brigade -of the Second Division on the south, and the 2nd Guards Brigade on -the north, the latter being directed upon the village of -Moyenneville, while the 99th Brigade was to carry Moyblain Trench, -the main German outpost position, 1000 yards in front of the line. -The right of the line was formed by the 1st Berks and the left by the -23rd Royal Fusiliers, the latter having a most unpleasant start, as -they were gas-shelled in their assembly places and had to wear their -masks for several hours before zero time. Any one who has worn one -of these contrivances for five consecutive minutes will have some -idea what is meant by such an ordeal, and how far it prepares a man -for going into battle. Only a very expert man can keep the goggles -clean, and one is simultaneously gagged, blinded, and half smothered, -with a horrible death awaiting any attempt at amelioration. - -At five o'clock nine tanks moved forward behind a crashing stationary -barrage, and the infantry followed eagerly through a weak German -fire. In spite of all precautions the Fusiliers had lost 400 men -from gas, but otherwise the casualties were very small. It may be -remarked that many of these serious gas cases occurred from the reek -of the gas out of the long grass when the sun dried the dew, showing -how subtle and dangerous a weapon is this distillation of mustard. -Some small consolation could be gained by the British soldier -suffering from these hellish devices, by the knowledge that our -chemists, driven to retaliate, had in mustard gas, as in every other -{100} poison, produced a stronger brew than the original inventor. -Well might the German garrison of Lens declare that they wished they -could have dropped that original inventor into one of his own retorts. - -The advance of the Guards kept pace on the left with that of the -Second Division. The 2nd Brigade went forward with Moyenneville for -its immediate objective. The 1st Coldstream in the north were to -carry the village, while the 1st Scots were to assemble in the low -ground north of Ayette, and to carry the attack to the -Ablainzeville-Moyenneville Ridge. The 3rd Grenadiers were then to -pass through the Scots and to capture the line of the railway. The -opening of the attack was much the same as in the case of the troops -on the right, save that no difficulty was experienced from gas. -There were few losses in the two leading battalions, which took many -prisoners, and it was only the 3rd Grenadiers who, as they neared the -railway, met a good deal of machine-gun fire, but pushed on in spite -of it and made good the line of their objective. - -In the meantime the 9th Brigade of the Third Division had moved -through the ranks of the 99th Brigade, and had carried on the advance -in the southern area. They advanced with the 1st Northumberland -Fusiliers on the right and 4th Royal Fusiliers behind them. The -latter had the misfortune to lose Colonel Hartley and 50 men from a -shell-burst while moving into position. The left front of the -brigade was formed by the 13th King's Liverpools. The whole line -advancing in open order passed on without a check, save from mist -which caused loss of direction and constant reference to the compass. -Over a series of trenches the line {101} plodded its way, clearing up -occasional machine-guns and their crews. By 9.15 they were on the -railway embankment. - -The 8th Brigade (Fisher) of the Third Division had also advanced on -the left of the 9th, keeping pace with it so far as the fog would -allow. The 7th Shropshires were on the left, in touch with the -Guards. The 1st Scots Fusiliers were on the right and the 2nd Royal -Scots in support. The attack was directed upon Courcelles, which was -carried by the Scots Fusiliers and mopped up by the 8th Royal -Lancasters. From the village a sharp slope leads down to the railway -line and here the opposition was very strong, the ground being -closely swept by rifle and machine-gun fire. Behind two tanks the -leading battalions rushed forward and the railway was rushed, with -200 prisoners. The position was organised, and touch established -with the Guards on the left and with the 9th Brigade on the right. -The 9th Brigade found it difficult, however, to get touch with the -Sixty-third Naval Division on their right, that unit having -experienced considerable difficulties and losses. The 76th Brigade, -the remaining unit of the Third Division, had the 2nd Suffolks and -1st Gordons close up to the line, and all of these battalions were -much mixed up owing to the persistent fog. - -A very determined pocket of German infantry and machine-gunners had -remained in front of the left flank of the Sixty-third Division, -formed by the 188th Brigade. These men were now on the right rear of -the 9th Brigade, but the situation was obscure and nothing was -certain save that the British line was not yet continuous and solid. -In spite of a {102} concentration of artillery the Germans were still -holding out next morning, being the only hostile units to the west of -the railway line on the Sixth Corps sector. - -An attempt had been made to get forward to Achiet-le-Grand, in which -part of the Sixty-third Division on the right and two companies of -the Gordons participated. The Ansons and the Gordons both lost -considerably in this attack and were unable to reach the village, -though they advanced the line by 500 yards. Lack of artillery -support, while the enemy guns were numerous and active, was the cause -of the check. - -The night of August 21 was quiet on most parts of this new front of -the Third Army, but at early dawn a counter-attack developed before -the Sixty-third Division and before the 8th Brigade. An S.O.S. -barrage was called for and promptly given in each case, which -entirely extinguished the attack upon the Sixty-third. On the 8th -Brigade front some of the German infantry got as far forward as the -railway line but were quickly hurled back again by bombs and the -bayonet. At 7.45 A.M. the enemy again made a rush and occupied one -post of the railway, from which, as well as from the posts on the -right of the 9th Brigade where the railway line was not yet in -British hands, he enfiladed the front defences during the day, -causing many casualties, until in the evening the post was retaken by -the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers. Among the gas cases sent to the -rear this day, though his injuries had been incurred during the -assembly, was General Fisher of the 8th Brigade. - -[Sidenote: August 22, 23.] - -The Guards in the north had also encountered the attack of the early -morning of August 22, which {103} seems to have been general along -the line, though at no part very vigorous. This particular section -of it was delivered near Hamelincourt by the Fortieth Saxon Division, -who suffered terribly in the venture. The rest of the day was -comparatively quiet and was spent in arranging the attack for the -morrow. This attack was planned with the idea of outflanking the -German position at Achiet-le-Grand, which had shown itself to be -dangerously strong. It was determined to outflank it both upon the -north and the south. With this intention the Third Division was to -capture Gomiecourt during the night of August 22. Farther north two -fresh divisions, the famous Fifty-sixth London Territorials, and the -Fifty-second from Palestine, were ordered to prolong the line of the -Guards, all under General Haldane, and to capture Hamelincourt, -Boyelles, and Boiry Becquerelle, with as much more as they could get, -on the early morning of August 23. On the front of the Fourth Corps -on the right the advance was entrusted to the Thirty-seventh Division -and to the Forty-second Division on the bank of the Ancre. - -The attack upon Gomiecourt, which was to be the prelude of the day's -work, since all advance to the south was impossible while that -village was in German hands, was carried out by the well-tried 76th -Brigade, the 8th Royal Lancasters and 2nd Suffolks in the front line, -with the 1st Gordons in close support. Tanks were to lead the van, -but they were unable to get across the railway embankment in time. -The assault, which began at 4 in the morning, was preceded by a short -crashing bombardment of heavy shells upon the doomed village. It had -hardly ceased before the Suffolks and Lancasters were swarming {104} -down the street, and the place was secured with little loss. Whilst -this brisk and successful affair was going on, the 13th King's -Liverpools of the 9th Brigade on the right made an advance to keep -the line level, taking some prisoners and three guns. This was the -more important as the weak point of the situation had always been to -the south and most of the damage sustained was by enfilade fire from -this direction. - -The 8th Brigade, now under the command of Colonel Henderson, kept -pace with the 76th Brigade in their advance, occupying the ground -north of Gomiecourt. The 2nd Royal Scots and 7th Shropshires were in -the lead. There was very heavy fire and the losses were -considerable, but the machine-gun nests were rooted out with the -bayonet, and the full objective was attained. Farther north the -attack was carried on by the 3rd Grenadier Guards and the 1st Scots. -These were successful in taking the village of Hamelincourt and the -trench system south of it, while keeping in touch with the -Fifty-sixth Division to the north of them. The 1st Coldstream was -then pushed through and crossed the Arras-Bapaume Road, gaining a -position eventually from which they looked south upon Ervillers. - -Farther north still both the Fifty-sixth and the Fifty-second -Divisions had joined in the advance, moving forward to the line of -the great high road which runs from north to south. Bridges had been -thrown over the Cojeul River by the sappers of the Fifty-ninth -Division, who had held this front--the workers having to wear gas -masks during their labours. To the 470th Field Company R.E. belongs -the credit of this most difficult job, under the direction of Colonel -{105} Coussmaker. Over these bridges passed the Fifty-second -Division, while south of them the attack was urged by the 168th -Brigade of the Fifty-sixth Division, with several villages for their -objective. The 13th London (Kensingtons) were on the right, the 4th -London in the centre, and the 14th London (London Scottish) on the -left. The advance went without a hitch, save that touch was lost -with the Guards on the right. This was regained again in the -evening, however, when the Brigade found itself to the north of -Croisilles and close to the old Hindenburg Line. The Fifty-second -Division had also reached the line where it runs across the Sensée -valley. - -The main advance in front of Haldane's Corps had been entrusted to -the Second Division, who advanced through the ranks of the Third -Division after the capture of Gomiecourt. This advance was on a -three-brigade front. On the right was the 99th Brigade, in touch -with the 63rd Brigade of the Thirty-seventh Division to the south of -them. This Brigade was told off to keep the flank, but it captured -500 prisoners in the process. On the left was the 6th Brigade, which -had been ordered, with the help of eight whippets, to attack -Ervillers. In the centre the 5th Brigade with ten whippets was to -carry Behagnies and Sapignies. This considerable attack was timed -for 11 o'clock. - -Gomiecourt having fallen, the 5th Brigade used it as a screen, -passing round to the north of it and then turning south to Behagnies. -The 2nd Highland Light Infantry headed for that village, while the -24th Royal Fusiliers advanced to the storm of Sapignies. The 2nd -Oxford and Bucks were in reserve. {106} The ten light tanks which -led the attack had a series of adventures. Three were knocked out by -a gun on the railway. The other seven under heavy gun-fire swerved -to the right, got out of the divisional area, and on the principle -that any fight is better than no fight, joined with the -Thirty-seventh Division in their attack upon Achiet-le-Grand, where -they did good service. In the meantime, the tankless 5th Brigade -moved round Gomiecourt, coming under very heavy fire on their left -flank. Colonel Brodie, a most gallant V.C. officer of the Highland -Light Infantry, was killed, and Colonel Cross of the Oxfords wounded, -by this fire. The day was very hot, the men exhausted, and the -losses severe. The new position was organised, therefore, and the -advance suspended for the present. - -[Sidenote: August 23.] - -The 6th Brigade had advanced on the left of the 5th, heading for -Ervillers, with the 1st King's Liverpools and the 2nd South Staffords -in the lead. The front waves, assisted by light tanks, rapidly broke -down all opposition, and Ervillers was taken about 2 P.M. All -movement beyond the village was checked by very heavy fire from the -high ground to the north-east, so that Mory Copse, the next -objective, was found to be unattainable. The object of the British -Commanders was never to pay more for a position than it was worth, or -buy a machine-gun at the cost of half a battalion. On the other -hand, papers captured during the day showed beyond all doubt that the -object of the Germans was to make an orderly retreat as far as the -Hindenburg Line, so that it was clearly the game to hustle and bustle -them without cessation. - -[Sidenote: August 24.] - -August the 24th was a heavy day in the Sixth {107} Corps, who were -ordered to push on and gain ground to the utmost extent along the -whole front. In order to strengthen the movement, the Canadian Corps -had been very quietly and deftly removed from the right wing of -Rawlinson's Army and transferred to the left wing of Byng's Army, in -touch with the Fifty-second Division. - -It will be remembered that the Second Division, though they had taken -Ervillers, had been pinned down there by German fire, while they had -failed to take Behagnies or Sapignies. Both these movements were now -resumed. In the night of August 23-24 the 1st King's Liverpools -advanced from Ervillers upon Mory, but were held up by very heavy -fire. The 3rd Guards Brigade on the north was advancing successfully -upon St. Leger and this had the effect of outflanking the Mory -position on that side. St. Leger was taken by the 2nd Scots Guards -and the 1st Welsh, who cleared it in the course of the afternoon. -They could get no farther, however, until the Second Division had -completed its task at Mory. This was now in the hands of the 99th -Brigade, who, headed by the 1st Berkshires, with the 1st Royal Rifles -behind them, and a spearhead of tanks in front, broke down all -opposition and captured Mory Copse, a very formidable position full -of emplacements and dug-outs. By this success the threat was removed -from the right of the Guards, and all was clear for their further -advance upon Ecoust. - -[Sidenote: August 25.] - -The Sixty-second Yorkshire Division had now moved up to relieve the -Second Division, but the latter were determined before their -withdrawal to complete their unfinished tasks. In the early morning -of August 25 the attacks upon the two obdurate villages {108} were -resumed, after a very heavy bombardment. The new venture was -splendidly successful. The 2nd Highland Light Infantry and the 24th -Royal Fusiliers rushed into Behagnies while it was still dark and -cleared out the whole village. This enabled the force to get to the -rear of Sapignies, which was stormed by the 2nd Oxfords--a battalion -with such proud traditions that even now in semi-official documents -it is still the 52nd Light Infantry. 300 prisoners and 150 -machine-guns were taken in the village, a proportion which -illustrates how far machines were taking the places of men in the -depleted German Army. Having gloriously tidied up its front the -Second Division now stood out while the Sixty-second took its place. - -It will be remembered that the Fifty-second and Fifty-sixth Divisions -had fought their way to the Hindenburg Line on August 23. This was -too formidable an obstacle to be taken in their stride, and the most -that could be hoped was that they should get into a good position for -the eventual attack. The Fifty-second Division had shown the metal -of the Palestine Army by a very fine advance which made them masters -of Henin. On their right was the 167th Brigade, with the 1st London -and the 7th and 8th Middlesex in the line. These troops pushed right -into the outskirts of Croisilles, but it was clear that new German -divisions were in the line, and that the resistance had very much -hardened. The Londoners were unable to hold the village, and the -Fifty-second Division was also held up on Henin Hill by very strong -fire. Matters seemed to have come to a stand in that quarter. - -Early on the morning of the 25th the Guards 3rd {109} Brigade and the -186th and the 187th Brigades of the Sixty-second Division made a -resolute advance to clear their front and get nearer to that terrible -paling which was meant to enclose the German domain. It was a day of -very hard fighting for all three brigades, and they had ample -evidence that the German line had indeed been powerfully reinforced, -and had no intention of allowing General Byng to establish himself in -the very shadow of their fortifications if they could hold him off. -The opening was inauspicious, for by some mistake there was an error -of half an hour in starting-time between the two divisions. As a -result the Guards found themselves on the line of road between Mory -and St. Leger with an open flank and under heavy enfilade fire, which -made many gaps in the ranks of the 1st Grenadiers. At the same time -the leading tanks were put out of action on that flank. In the -centre the tanks lost their way in the mist, but the 2nd Scots Guards -pushed ahead in spite of it. Banks Trench, however, in front of them -was very strongly held and the assault was not pressed. On the left -the 1st Welsh were in St. Leger Wood, but Croisilles was still -untaken and the advance could not be carried forward as the -machine-guns from this village swept the country. About 9 A.M. the -enemy buzzed out of the Hindenburg Line and fell upon the Scots -Guards, but were shot back again into their cover. During these -operations the Guards captured a battery of field-guns. - -The Sixty-second West Yorkshire Territorials on the right of the -Guards had an equally arduous day. They had found the same -difficulties in getting forward, but at 5 P.M. the enemy had the -indiscretion to counter-attack, and when once he masks his own {110} -machine-guns he has ceased to be formidable. His attack was near -Mory Copse and aimed at the junction between the two divisions, but -it was heavily punished and shredded away to nothing. About 7 P.M. -he tried another advance upon the right of the Sixty-second Division -and won his way up to the line, but was thrown out again by the 5th -West Ridings and driven eastward once more. The 186th Brigade, -forming the right of the division, co-operated with the Fourth Corps -in their attack upon Favreuil, which place was captured. - -On the evening of August 25 Haldane's Sixth Corps, which had become -somewhat unwieldy in size, was limited to the north on a line just -south of Croisilles, so that the Fifty-second, Fifty-sixth, and -Fifty-seventh Divisions all became Fergusson's Seventeenth Corps, -which was thus thrust between the Sixth Corps and the Canadians, who -had not yet made their presence felt upon this new battle-ground. -The Seventeenth Corps was now the left of the Third Army, and the -Canadians were the right of the First Army. The immediate task of -both the Sixth and Seventeenth Corps was the hemming in and capture -of Croisilles, and the reoccupation of the old army front line. -August 26 was a quiet day on this front, but on August 27 the Guards -and the Sixty-second Division were ordered forward once more, the -former to attack Ecoust and Longatte, the other to storm -Vaulx-Vraucourt. The First German Division encountered was easily -driven in. The second, however, the Thirty-sixth, was made in a -sterner mould and was supported by a strong artillery, large and -small. The 2nd Grenadiers and 2nd Coldstream in the front line of -the Guards {111} 1st Brigade got forward for nearly a mile on each -flank, but were held up by a withering fire in the centre, so that -the flanks had eventually to come back. The Fifty-sixth Division of -the Seventeenth Corps had not yet captured Croisilles, from which a -counter-attack was made upon the left flank of the 2nd Coldstream, -which was handsomely repulsed. - -On the whole, however, it had been an unsatisfactory day and the -Sixty-second had been equally unable to get forward, so that none of -the objectives had been gained. The Seventeenth Corps and the -Canadians in the north were both advancing, however, and it was -possible that the position in the south might alter as a consequence. - -Such was indeed found to be the case on August 28, for the -Fifty-sixth Division was able this day to get possession of -Croisilles, which eased the situation to the south. The Guards and -the Sixty-second pushed forwards, following always the line of least -resistance, so that by evening they were 1200 yards forward at some -points, though the right of the Sixty-second Division was still -pinned to its ground. That evening the Third Division replaced the -Guards, and the same tactics were pursued on the following day. The -76th Brigade was now in the front line to the south of Croisilles, -with the hard-worked Sixty-second Division still on their right. A -sugar factory was the chief impediment in front of the latter. The -right of the division got forward during the day and occupied the old -army trenches. - -[Sidenote: August 30.] - -August 30 was once again a day of heavy fighting, the Seventeenth and -Sixth Corps, represented by the Fifty-sixth, Third, and Sixty-second -Divisions, closing in upon the Hindenburg Line and {112} attacking -the last villages which covered its front. The tanks had miscarried, -and the infantry at 5 A.M. had to go forward alone. On the right the -185th and 186th Brigades of the Sixty-second Division both made good -progress, the obnoxious sugar factory was taken, and though Vaulx -could not be cleared it was partly occupied. Next day saw the dour -Yorkshiremen still sticking to their point, and fighting with varying -success in and out of the village. At times they had flooded through -it, and yet again they were beaten back. By the morning of September -1 the 186th Brigade had possession of Vaulx-Vraucourt and were on the -high ground to the east of the village. Next morning they had Vaux -Trench as well, but about ten o'clock in the forenoon of September 2 -a strong counter sent them reeling back in some disorder. Gathering -themselves together in grim North Country fashion they went forward -again and cleared Vaulx Wood before evening. That night, after a -very desperate and costly term of service, the Sixty-second was -relieved by the Second Division. - -The experiences of the Third Division from the August 30 attack were -as arduous as those already described. On that morning the 76th -Brigade, with the Suffolks and Gordons in the lead, got forward well -at the first, though they lost touch with the Londoners to the north. -The Suffolks were on that side and the gap enabled the Germans to get -round to their left rear with disastrous results, as the losses were -heavy and the battalion had to fall back. The Gordons had to adjust -their line accordingly. This rebuff had lost most of the ground -which had been gained early in the day. General Deverell now {113} -sent up the 9th Brigade, as the 76th was much worn, but the 1st -Gordons remained in the fight. - -[Sidenote: August 31.] - -On August 31 the 9th Brigade attacked the Vraucourt position, with -the 1st Gordons, battle-weary but still indomitable, on the right, -the 4th Royal Fusiliers in the centre, and the 13th King's Liverpools -on the left. It was known that no less than three new German -divisions had been thrown in, and however the fighting might turn it -was certain that the attrition was going merrily forward. The -assembly was unfortunately much disturbed by the German barrage, -which fell with particular severity upon the Fusiliers in the centre. -At 5.15 A.M. the line moved forward, but again the luck was against -the Fusiliers, who were opposed by a particularly dangerous -machine-gun nest in a sunken road. One company endeavoured to rush -it, but all the officers save one, and most of the men, were mown -down. A tank which endeavoured to help them met with a strange fate, -as a German officer managed, very gallantly, to get upon the top of -it, and firing through the ventilation hole with his revolver, put -the whole crew out of action--a feat for which in the British service -he would certainly have had his V.C. - -The Fusiliers were hung up, but the King's on the left had carried -the village of Ecoust, getting in touch with the right of the -Fifty-sixth Division in Bullecourt Avenue. Many hundreds of the -enemy were taken, but some pockets still remained on the southern -edge of the village, and fired into the flank of the unfortunate -Fusiliers. The King's then attempted during the long day to throw -out their right flank and get in touch with the left of the Gordons -so as to obliterate the sunken road, which {114} was the centre of -the mischief. The ground was absolutely open, however, and the fire -commanded it completely. Under these circumstances Colonel Herbert -of the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers, which was in reserve, suggested -that the attack be postponed until dusk. This was done, and at 8 -P.M. Herbert's men overran the sunken road, capturing the guns. -Ecoust was also completely cleared of the enemy. So ended this day -of vicissitudes in which the 9th Brigade, with heavy loss, had -struggled through many difficulties and won their victory at the -last. A further advance during the night by both the 9th and the -76th Brigades straightened the whole line from Ecoust to the south. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 1.] - -On the morning of September 1 the Fifty-second Division had relieved -the Fifty-sixth Division, both of the Seventeenth Corps, in the -Croisilles sector, and was in close touch with the Third Division to -the south. Both divisions went forward with no great difficulty at -the appointed hour, the three battalions of the 9th Brigade being all -in the line once more. The important trench known as Noreuil Switch -was captured in this advance. It may well seem to the reader that -the gains were tardily and heavily bought at this stage of the -operations, but it is to be always borne in mind that Fergusson and -Haldane in particular were up against the old intricate trench -system, and away from that open fighting which can alone give large -results. To others there was always some way round, but here there -was an unbroken obstacle which must be frontally attacked and broken -down by pure persistence. In these operations the new machine-gun -organisation proved to be particularly efficient, and B Company of -the {115} 3rd Battalion Machine-Gun Corps did essential work in -winning the way for the 9th Brigade. The whole battle was a long -steady contest of endurance, in which the Germans were eventually -worn out by the persistence of their opponents. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 2.] - -The advance was renewed along this area on September 2, the object of -the Fifty-second Division being to encircle Quéant from the south and -west, while that of the Third and Sixty-second Divisions was to gain -the east of Lagnicourt and the high ground east of Morchies. The -fortunes of the Sixty-second Division have already been briefly -described. On the front of the Third Division the 8th Brigade, -strengthened by one battalion from each of the other brigades, took -up the heavy task, the 7th Shropshires, 2nd Royal Scots, and 1st -Scots Fusiliers forming from right to left the actual line of battle. -The last-named battalion by a happy chance joined up on the left with -its own 5th Battalion in the Fifty-second Division. They assembled -under heavy shelling, some of which necessitated the use of -box-respirators. No sooner had the advance begun than the Shropshire -men came under machine-gun fire and lost the three tanks which led -them. They had gained some ground, but were first brought to a halt -and then compelled to retire. In the centre the Royal Scots took -Noreuil, which was found to be lightly held. In attempting to get on -to the east of this village they found the trenches strongly manned -and the fire, both of rifles and machine-guns, so murderous that it -was impossible to get forward. The Scots Fusiliers were also faced -with strong resistance, including a belt of wire. Three company and -eight platoon commanders were down before this obstacle {116} and the -sunken road behind it were crossed. Without the aid of tanks the -depleted battalion moved on under very heavy fire, and eventually -halted in a line with the Royal Scots on their right. To the right -of these, as already shown, the Sixty-second Division had also been -brought to a stand. A formidable trench, called in the old British -days Macaulay Avenue, barred the way and had only been reached by a -few of the assailants. It is a fact, however, that Lieutenant R. R. -MacGregor of the Scots Fusiliers with five men did force their way in -upon this morning, and tenaciously held on to their position until -after dark, forming just that little nucleus of determined men by -whom great battles are so often won. - -There was a momentary check, but it was retrieved by Captain Nagle's -company of the 2nd Suffolks, who charged with two companies of the -Royal Scots and won a section of the trench. The utmost difficulty -was experienced by the Brigadier in keeping in touch with the action, -as the ground was so exposed that nearly every runner sent back from -the front line was killed or wounded. Colonel Henderson came -forward, therefore, about three o'clock and reorganised his -dispositions, with the result that before evening the line had been -straightened and advanced, with the capture of many prisoners and -machine-guns. Meanwhile Quéant to the north had been captured by the -Fifty-second Division, and the whole German system of defence was -weakening and crumbling, the Seventeenth Corps strongly co-operating -with the Canadians upon their left. The enemy's purpose during all -this very hard contest was to sacrifice his rearguards if necessary, -in order to cover {117} the retreat of his main body across the Canal -du Nord. There were few more difficult problems in local fighting -during the whole war than how to carry these successive positions, -bravely held and bristling with machine-guns. That it was finally -done was a great achievement upon the part both of those who -commanded and those who obeyed. Colonel Vickery's guns, covering the -infantry, had much to do with the final success. How great that -success was could only be judged upon the following morning when the -new divisions which had taken over the front, the Guards on the left -and the Second on the right, found that all the kick had been taken -out of the Germans, and that a substantial advance could be made with -little loss. - -Neither the Guards nor the Third Division encountered serious -opposition upon September 3, and a steady, if cautious, forward -movement went on all day. The Seventeenth Corps upon the left had -turned south in order to clear Mœuvres and Tadpole Copse. By -midday the Second Division had cleared both Hermies and Demicourt. -Before evening the 2nd Guards Brigade was in the old British front -line, which was held during the night. The Canal du Nord was just -ahead, and it was realised that this would mark what the Germans -intended to make their permanent line. It was all-important to push -the rearguard across it and to get any bridges with their eastern -exits, if it were in any way possible. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 4-12.] - -The advance on September 4 was resumed in the face of some sporadic -opposition, but by the evening of the 6th the enemy was all across -the Canal, and the Sixth Corps was awaiting developments elsewhere. -On September 11 steps were {118} taken, however, to get into striking -position for the final fracture of the Hindenburg Line, in view of -which it was necessary to gain the Hindenburg front system west of -the Canal. On September 12 the main attack was delivered, though on -September 11 the Second Division had secured the western ends of the -Canal crossings. The centre of the new operation was the attack upon -Havrincourt by Braithwaite's Sixty-second Division. This operation -was carried out by the 186th and 187th Brigades, the pioneer -battalion, 9th Durham Light Infantry, being attached to the former, -while eight brigades of field-guns and three groups of heavies lent -their formidable assistance. The right of the Sixty-second was in -close touch with the Thirty-seventh Division, which was attacking -Trescault. The advance of both brigades was uninterrupted, though -strongly opposed. The 2/4th Hants and 5th West Ridings on the right, -and the 2/4th York and Lancasters with the 5th Yorkshire Light -Infantry on the left, trampled down all opposition. The individual -is almost lost to sight in the scale of such operations, but a -sentence must be devoted to Sergeant Calvert of the last-named -battalion, who attacked two machine-guns, bayoneted four and shot -three of the crews, taking the rest prisoners. At 7.30, the western -edge of the village of Havrincourt had fallen, but the fortified -château on the south, in the area of the 186th Brigade, still held -its own. It was attacked by the 2/4th West Riding Battalion, who had -a most difficult task in the tangled gardens which surrounded the -house. At the same time the 2/4th Hants pushed into the village and -fought their way right through it. They had to sustain a heavy -counter-attack delivered about {119} 7 in the evening by the -Twentieth Hanoverian Division, supported by a flight of low-flying -aeroplanes. This attack was broken up with great loss by the steady -fire of the men of Hampshire and Yorkshire. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 13-14.] - -In the early morning of September 13 the village was strongly -attacked by the enemy, who effected a lodgment in the cemetery and -pushed back the British line for 200 yards. A fine return was made -by the 5th Devons of the 185th Brigade, who cleared the village once -again. Two of the divisional machine-guns held out close to the -posts occupied by the Germans--so close that the sergeant in charge -shot the battalion leader of the enemy with his revolver. From this -time the Sixty-second were left in possession of Havrincourt, which -they had thus won for the second time, since it was carried by them -in the Cambrai battle of November 20, 1917. General Braithwaite, who -was the victor upon each occasion, remarked that if his men had to -take it a third time they should, on the cup-tie principle, be -allowed to keep it for ever. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 14-27.] - -Meanwhile the Second Division on the left had made its way slowly but -without any serious check as far as London Trench, which brought them -nearly level with the Sixty-second, while the Thirty-seventh in the -south had captured Trescault and were also well up to the Hindenburg -Line. There was no further serious fighting for several days on this -front save that the 185th Brigade advanced its line to Triangle Wood -on the morning of September 14. This attack was carried out by the -2/20th Londons and was completely successful, as was their subsequent -defence against a brisk counter-attack. On September 16 the -Sixty-second Division was {120} relieved by the Third, and the Second -Division by the Guards. There was no further fighting until -September 18, that general day of battle, when a very severe German -attack was made about 6 o'clock in the evening, which covered the -whole front of the Third Division and involved the left of the -Thirty-seventh Division in the area of the Fourth Corps. After a -heavy bombardment there was a determined advance of infantry, having -the recapture of Havrincourt for its objective. A number of -low-flying aeroplanes helped the German infantry. The attack fell -chiefly upon the 1st Scots Fusiliers and 2nd Royal Scots, and some -gain was effected by a rush of bombers aided by flame-throwers, but -they were finally held and eventually driven back, while 100 -prisoners were retained. C Company of the Royal Scots particularly -distinguished itself in this action, forming a solid nucleus of -resistance round which the whole defence was organised. Nothing -further of importance occurred until September 27, the day of the -general advance, in this northern portion of the British line. - -[Sidenote: August 21.] - -In order to complete this account of the doings of Byng's Third Army -from August 21 onwards, some account must now be given of what was -originally the central unit, Harper's Fourth Corps, though its -general progress has already been roughly defined by the detailed -description of the two Corps on its flanks. - -The first task set for this Corps on August 21 was to capture the -general line between Irles in the south and Bihucourt in the north, -while the flank of this main attack was to be guarded by a subsidiary -advance along the valley of the Ancre, and between Puisieux and -Miraumont. The first objective of the {121} main attack was Bucquoy, -Ablainzeville, and the important high ground to the immediate east of -these villages. - -The advance commenced in a thick mist, and was undertaken in the case -of the main attack by Williams' Thirty-seventh English Division. It -was completely successful, and aided by the fire of six heavy and -fifteen field brigades of artillery, it swept over its first -objectives, the tanks helping materially to break down the -opposition. The moral effect of a tank in a fog can be pictured by -the least imaginative. Two field-guns and many lighter pieces were -taken. The veteran Fifth Division on the right and the Sixty-third -Naval Division on the left then passed through the ranks of the -Thirty-seventh to enlarge the opening that they had made, carrying -the advance on to the limit of the field artillery barrage, and -halting at last just west of Achiet-le-Petit. The naval men met with -a blaze of machine-gun fire from the edge of Logeast Wood, but they -rooted out the nests and occupied the position, though the passage -through the tangled brushwood and trees disorganised the units, and -progress became slow. The railway line ran right across the front, -and this, as usual, had become a formidable and continuous obstacle, -which could not be turned. The reserve brigade of the Fifth Division -on the right carried Achiet-le-Petit, but could not get over the -railway. The Sixty-third was also unable to reach the railway, and -found a considerable concentration of Germans opposite to them in the -brickworks and cemetery west of Achiet-le-Grand. The tanks had -wandered off in the mist, and for the moment the advance had reached -its limit. Many of the tanks, as the mist lifted, were hit {122} by -the anti-tank guns of the enemy, though some most gallantly crossed -the railway line and penetrated the German positions, doing such harm -as they could, until they were eventually destroyed. - -Meanwhile, the subsidiary attack on the right flank had also been -successful up to a point. The New Zealanders on the immediate south -of the Fifth Division had gone forward in their usual workman-like -fashion, and had taken Puisieux. Upon their right, and next to the -Fifth Corps who were beginning their arduous crossing of the Ancre, -was the Forty-second Division (Solly-Flood), an ex-Palestine unit of -Lancashire Territorials which had won laurels in the March fighting. -It had come away with a flying start, and had got as far as the -important point named Beauregard Dovecote. There it remained until -the early morning of August 22, when the enemy regained it by a -spirited attack from a new division. The total effect of the day's -work along the whole front of the Fourth Corps had been the capture -of 1400 prisoners, of a number of guns, and of an extent of ground -which was important, though less than had been hoped for. The main -resistance had always been the railway, and the German guns behind -it, so that to that extent his line was really inviolate. Indeed -from his point of view the whole work of the Third Army on that date -might be represented as an attack upon a false front, the real -position remaining intact. - -[Sidenote: August 22.] - -The enemy was by no means abashed, and early in the morning of August -22 he showed that he did not propose to surrender the field until he -had fought to regain it. At dawn the Fifty-second German Division -deployed through Miraumont and fell upon the left of the Fifth -Division in one direction, and {123} the Forty-second in the other. -As already stated they succeeded in driving back the latter, and -Beauregard Dovecote remained as a prize of victory. Some three -hundred Germans pushed through between Third the Fifth Division and -the New Zealanders, but were at once attacked by a party of the 1st -Devons, assisted by some of the New Zealanders. Corporal Onions of -the Devons showed great initiative in this affair, which ended in the -capture of the whole of the intruders. He received the V.C. for his -gallantry. - -It was a day of reaction, for the Sixty-third Division in the north -was strongly attacked, and was at one time pushed as far as Logeast -Wood. They rallied however and came back, but failed to regain the -railway at Achiet-le-Grand. Early in the morning of August 23 the -Beauregard Dovecote was finally captured by units of the Forty-second -and New Zealanders, the enemy falling back to Miraumont. About the -same hour in the morning the Sixth Corps in the north had taken -Gomiecourt as already described, which strengthened the general -position. - -[Sidenote: August 23.] - -Early on August 23 the Thirty-seventh Division came up on the left -and relieved the Naval Division. Guns had been pushed into position, -so at 11 o'clock in the forenoon it was possible to deliver a strong -attack under an adequate barrage upon the line of the railway. The -result was a complete success, in spite of the formidable nature of -the defences. The imperturbable English infantry flooded over every -obstacle, took its inevitable losses with its usual good humour, and -established itself upon the farther side of the position, while the -tanks, taking advantage of a level crossing, burst through and did -very great work. Both Achiet-le-Grand and Bihucourt fell to {124} -the Thirty-seventh Division, while the Fifth captured the high ground -overlooking Irles, and subsequently pushed on eastwards as far as -Loupart Wood. Since Miraumont was still German the flank of -Ponsonby's Division was scourged by the machine-guns, and an attempt -by the Forty-second Division to relieve the pressure by taking the -village had no success, but the Fifth maintained all its gains in -spite of the heavy enfilading fire. In this fine operation the -Thirty-seventh Division alone captured 1150 prisoners. There were -signs, however, of German reaction, especially on the southern flank, -where a new division, the Third Naval, had been brought into line. - -[Sidenote: August 23, 24.] - -August 24 was another day of victory. The New Zealanders passed -through the depleted ranks of the Fifth Division and made good not -only the whole of Loupart Wood, but also Grevillers to the north-east -of it. An even more useful bit of work was the storming of Miraumont -by the Forty-second Division in the south. This village, which had -been nearly surrounded by the advance on the flanks, gave up 500 -prisoners and several guns. The Forty-second continued its career of -victory to Pys, which they took, and were only stopped eventually by -the machine-guns at Warlencourt. This advance greatly relieved the -situation on the right flank, which had been a cause for anxiety, and -it also, by winning a way to the Ancre, solved the water problem, -which had been a difficult one. This day of continued victorious -advance was concluded by the occupation of Biefvillers by the united -action of the Thirty-seventh and of the New Zealanders. - -[Sidenote: August 25, 26.] - -At 5 A.M. upon August 25 the advance was {125} resumed, with the -Sixty-third Division on the right, the New Zealanders in the centre, -and the Thirty-seventh on the left. The naval men found a head wind -from the first, for the Germans were holding Le Barque and Thilloy in -great strength. No great progress could be made. On the left the -New Zealanders and the Thirty-seventh both reached the very definite -line of the Bapaume-Arras Road, where they were held by very heavy -fire from Bapaume on the right and Favreuil on the left. The -splendid Thirty-seventh, with some assistance from the New Zealanders -on their south, rushed the wood and village of Favreuil and helped to -beat off a German counter-attack by the fresh Hundred and eleventh -Division, which was so mauled by aircraft and artillery that it never -looked like reaching its objective. Many dead and some abandoned -guns marked the line of its retirement. - -On August 26 these indefatigable troops were still attacking. It was -indeed a most marvellous display of tenacity and will-power. The -general idea was to encircle Bapaume from the north and to reach the -Cambrai Road. In this the Fifth Division and the New Zealanders were -successful, the former reaching Beugnatre, while the latter got as -far as the road, but sustained such losses from machine-gun fire that -they could not remain there. In the south Thilloy still barred the -advance of the Naval Division, which was again repulsed on August 27, -when they attacked after a heavy bombardment. There was a pause at -this period as the troops were weary and the supplies had been -outdistanced. On August 28 the Sixty-third left the Fourth Corps and -the Forty-Second took over their line and repeated their {126} -experience, having a setback before Thilloy. On August 29 there was -a general withdrawal of the German rearguards, the whole opposition -dissolved, Thilloy fell to the Forty-second Division, and the New -Zealanders had the honour of capturing Bapaume. Up to this time the -advance of the Fourth Corps had yielded 100 guns and 6800 prisoners. - -[Sidenote: August 28-31.] - -On August 30 the whistles were sounding once more and the whole -British line was rolling eastwards. It will mark its broader front -if we say that on this date the Fifth Corps on the right was in front -of Beaulencourt, while the Sixth Corps on the left had taken Vaulx, -Vraucourt. The Forty-second Division on this day was unable to hold -Riencourt, but the rest of the line got well forward, always fighting -but always prevailing, until in the evening they were east of -Bancourt and Frémicourt, and close to Beugny. Always it was the same -programme, the exploring fire, the loose infantry advance, the -rapping machine-guns, the quick concentration and rush--occasionally -the summoning of tanks or trench mortars when the strong point was -obstinate. So the wave passed slowly but surely on. - -On August 31 the Germans, assisted by three tanks, made a strong -attack upon the New Zealanders, and a small force pushed in between -them and the Fifth Division. They were surrounded, however, a German -battalion commander was shot and some sixty of his men were taken. -The whole line was restored. On this day the Lancashire men on the -right took Riencourt with some prisoners and a battery of guns. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 2-9.] - -September 2 was a day of hard battle and of victory, the three Corps -of General Byng's Army {127} attempting to gain the general line -Barastre-Haplincourt-Le Bucquière. The Forty-second Division -captured Villers-au-Flos and advanced east of it, while the New -Zealanders made good the ridge between there and Beugny. Some 600 -prisoners were taken. There was some very fierce fighting round -Beugny in which the Fifth Division lost six tanks and many men with -no particular success. The place was afterwards abandoned. - -The British line was now drawing close to the Hindenburg position, -and the Fourth Corps like all the others was conscious of the -increased effort which the Germans were making in order to prevent -the attackers from gaining all the outlying posts, and being able to -carry the main line before every preparation had been made for its -defence. For several days there were wrestles for this position or -that, which culminated on September 9 in a very sharp tussle between -the New Zealanders and a German Jaeger Division at African Trench on -the ridge west of Gouzeaucourt. It was a very desperate fight, which -some of the old New Zealanders declared to have been the most intense -and close which they had experienced since they met the Turks at -Gallipoli--a compliment to the Jaeger, but somewhat a reflection upon -other units of the German army. In the end the New Zealanders were -unable to hold African Trench and had to be content with African -Support. The Fifth Division shared in this fighting. This -engagement was part of a local co-operation in an attack made by the -Fifth Corps in the south. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 12-18.] - -On September 12 there was a combined attack, which has already been -mentioned, by which the Fourth and Sixth Corps should capture -Trescault Spur and {128} Havrincourt. It will be remembered that the -latter was captured by the Sixty-second Yorkshire Division. The New -Zealanders advanced upon the Spur, where they met with very vigorous -opposition from their old enemies, the Jaeger, who fought with great -tenacity. The Thirty-seventh Division turned the Spur from the -south, however, capturing both Trescault and Bilhem. Two guns and -500 prisoners were captured. On September 18 the Fifth Division -together with the Welsh Division of the Fifth Corps undertook a local -operation against African Trench, but the indefatigable German Jaeger -still remained masters of the situation. At 5.20 P.M. on that day -the initiative passed to the enemy, who broke suddenly into a very -heavy bombardment, followed by a furious attack upon the left of the -Thirty-seventh Division. It made some progress at first and the -British losses were heavy, especially in the case of the 1st Herts, a -battalion which has many times shown great steadiness and gallantry. -Lieutenant Young of this unit rallied his men and counter-attacked at -a critical moment, dying single-handed amid the German ranks but -winning a posthumous V.C. - -We have now brought the record of the Fourth Corps level with that of -the Fifth to the south and of the Sixth to the north. It is -necessary to give some fuller account of the Seventeenth Corps which -had been formed on the left of the Sixth. This will complete the -account of General Byng's operations with his Third Army from their -inception on August 21 until the eve of the great general battle -which was to break out at the end of September. - -[Sidenote: August 25.] - -It has already been stated that on August 25 Sir Charles Fergusson's -Seventeenth Corps was {129} formed on the left of General Byng's -Third Army and became the northern unit in that force, having the -Sixth Corps on its right and the Canadian Corps on its left. It -contained at first three divisions, the Fifty-second (Hill), -Fifty-sixth (Hull), and Fifty-seventh (Barnes). Two of these had -already been heavily engaged in the new advance before becoming part -of the Seventeenth Corps. Indeed on the day preceding the entrance -of the Corps into the line, the evening of August 24, the Fifty-sixth -Division had attacked the Hindenburg Line at Summit Trench and Hill -Switch, near Croisilles, without effect. They had now established -themselves near their objective and were waiting orders to try again. - -The Fifty-second Division, one of the fine units which had been -released from Palestine owing to the reinforcements of Indian troops -in that country, had also tried for the Hindenburg Line and taken a -bit of it upon August 24, but they had found it too hot to hold. -They were now lying low on the western borders of Henin Hill, hoping -to co-operate with the Canadians of the First Army on their left at -some later date. A line of British divisions was now crouching in -front of Hindenburg's bars all ready for a spring. - -In the new attack it was planned that the Fifty-sixth Londoners -should co-operate with the Sixth Corps on their right, and clear the -village of Croisilles by outflanking it, while the Fifty-second -Division should work on the north of the Cojeul stream in close touch -with the big Canadian attack, advancing towards -Fontaine-les-Croisilles. The effect of these movements would be that -the portion of the Hindenburg Line which faced the Seventeenth {130} -Corps would be attacked from the rear instead of the front. - -[Sidenote: August 26.] - -On August 26 at 3 A.M. the Canadians went forward, as will be told -under the head of their operations. The Fifty-second Division kept -its place on their right flank, working up along the Cojeul River, -and carrying all the objectives allotted to them. By 10.35 A.M. -their task had been completed and they were still in close touch with -the Canadians. In the afternoon the 155th Brigade on the extreme -left, consisting of Scottish Territorials, attacked Henin Hill from -the north-west, capturing a succession of machine-gun positions. The -crews of these guns got--and indeed accepted--little quarter, -fighting staunchly to the last. By 4 o'clock the Fifty-second -Division was well into the Hindenburg Line from the Cojeul -northwards; and by 5 o'clock the 155th Brigade was across Henin Hill, -moving south-east. The whole of this very important position was now -in British possession, though there were pockets of the enemy -scattered here and there who were holding out to the last. The -Fifty-sixth Division on the right was still in front of Croisilles, -sending out occasional patrols which reported that the village was -still strongly held. Its orders were to maintain pressure but not to -advance until the development of the movement in the north should -shake the enemy's resistance. - -[Sidenote: August 27, 28.] - -On August 27 Croisilles and the strong trenches around it were kept -under bombardment. The Fifty-sixth Division began to thrust forward -its left flank, and made some progress, but was eventually held by -very heavy fire from the south. At midday the Fifty-second Division -was driving down from the north, {131} getting to the Sensée River -about Fontaine and endeavouring to help the left of the Fifty-sixth -Division by moving along the Hindenburg Line. This was partly -accomplished, but it was impossible for the Fifty-sixth to get ahead -as the troops on their right in the Ledger Trenches had also been -held up. That evening the Fifty-second Division after a fine term of -service was drawn out and the Fifty-seventh took its place. - -Early on August 28 it was evident that the scheme for pinching out -Croisilles had been successful. At 8 A.M. a contact aeroplane -reported the village to be empty, and at 8.30 the London patrols were -in the main street. There now lay Bullecourt in front of the -Fifty-sixth, and Hendecourt and Riencourt in front of the -Fifty-seventh Division. At 12.30 the attack was in full swing, lines -of the gallant Territorials of London and Lancashire streaming across -the low dun-coloured curves which are cut by the famous trenches. It -was a long uphill fight, but by 4.30 in the afternoon the 169th -Brigade, containing the London Rifle Brigade, the 2nd Londons, and -the Westminsters, had fought their way into Bullecourt. There they -were held, however, for there were numerous pockets of Germans in -their rear, and the machine-guns pelted them from every side, while -the village was far from clear. The 167th Brigade on the right had -also been held up by machine-guns, all three battalions, the 1st -London and the 7th and 8th Middlesex, having heavy losses and being -forced back for a time. The Fifty-seventh Division on the left of -the line encountered the same desperate resistance, which could only -have been overcome by troops who would take no denial. Hendecourt -was not reached, but all the {132} gains of the morning were held as -a basis for a future advance. The liaison on either flank with the -Sixth Corps and the Canadians was complete. It had been a day of -very hard and expensive fighting and of no very marked success. - -[Sidenote: August 29.] - -The battle was renewed about midday on August 29, the morning having -been devoted to repulverising the powder-heap of Bullecourt with -heavy artillery, and to clearing up some of the pockets in the -immediate front of the advance. The Fifty-sixth Division advanced -once more, the 168th Brigade having taken the right of the line. The -machine-guns were still very destructive, and the right and centre -were held up, though the left made some progress. The general result -was to get the British line all round Bullecourt, but the village -itself was still defiant. The Fifty-seventh Division on the left had -another day of desperate fighting, in which the Lancashire -Territorials showed their usual valour. At 4.30 some of them had got -through Hendecourt and had penetrated, with great difficulty and -suffering heavily, into Riencourt. It was afterwards found that some -ardent spirits had even forced their way into the Drocourt-Quéant -line, and left their dead there as a proof for those who followed -after. The line in the evening was the western outskirts of -Hendecourt, where they were in touch with the right of the Canadian -Division. - -[Sidenote: August 30.] - -At 5 A.M. on the morning of August 30 the Germans, who had a -perfectly clear vision of the fact that the loss of the Hindenburg -Line must entail the loss of the war, attacked in great force along -the general line Ecoust-Bullecourt-Hendecourt, and made some -considerable dents in the British front, {133} especially at -Bullecourt, which had to be evacuated. The Fifty-seventh were pushed -back to the line of the Hendecourt-Bullecourt Road, and abandoned the -ruins of an old factory, which is a marked position. This attack -corresponds with the one already detailed when the Third Division -were driven out of Ecoust, and it is heavy weather indeed when the -Third Division begins to make leeway. The Fifty-sixth tried very -gallantly to regain Bullecourt by a bombing attack, but it could not -be done. The Germans got a footing in Hendecourt, but could not -clear it, and the evening saw the Lancashire Territorials and their -enemy at close grips among the ruins. - -On the morning of August 31 the indefatigable Londoners attacked once -more, the 4th Londons, London Scottish, and Kensingtons of the 168th -Brigade carrying on the work. The factory was soon retaken and so -was the Station Redoubt, but Bullecourt itself, squirting flames from -every cranny, was still inviolate. On the right the Third Division -had recaptured Ecoust, which relieved the general situation. The -British bombers got into Bullecourt in the afternoon and before -evening they had made good the greater part of the ruins, a handful -of Germans still clinging manfully to the eastern edge. That night -the Fifty-second came to the front and relieved the Fifty-sixth. In -the five days' battle the London division had lost 123 officers and -2600 men. On the other hand they had captured 29 officers and over a -thousand men, while they had inflicted very heavy losses upon the -enemy. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 1.] - -September 1 saw this long-drawn battle still in full progress. There -is nothing more amazing than the way in which the British divisions -at this stage {134} of the war without reinforcements carried on the -fight from day to day as though they were sustained by some prophetic -vision of the imminent victory which was so largely the result of -their heroic efforts. With the early morning the Fifty-seventh -Division was into Hendecourt, and before seven o'clock the 171st -Brigade had completely cleared the village and joined hands with the -Canadians on the farther side. There was a great deal of actual -bayonet work in this assault, and Lancashire came out triumphant. On -the right the Fifty-second Division had a busy morning in clearing -out the dug-outs and cellars of Bullecourt. In the afternoon they -advanced eastwards and cleared another 500 yards of ground, when they -came under very heavy fire from Noreuil on their right flank. The -155th Brigade was lashed with a pelting rain of bullets, one -battalion, the 4th Scots Borderers, losing 10 officers and 140 men in -a few minutes. The advance was continued, however, until Tank -Avenue, the immediate objective, was reached and cleared. It was a -splendid example of indomitable perseverance. - -The 171st Brigade, which was still advancing on the left, had also -undergone the torment of the machine-guns, but some skilful flanking -movements by supporting platoons enabled progress to be made and the -German posts soon surrendered when there was a danger of being -surrounded. Riencourt fell, and by 6.30 the extreme objectives had -been gained and touch established on either flank. - -The success of this spirited attack, with the heavy losses inflicted, -seemed to have cowed the enemy before the Fifty-seventh Division, for -the night passed quietly on that front, which was very helpful in -allowing {135} the preparations to go forward for the considerable -operation planned for next morning. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 2.] - -September 2 was the date for the main attack by the First Army upon -the Drocourt-Quéant line south of the Scarpe, to which all the -fighting which has been detailed was but a preliminary. The rôle -assigned to the Seventeenth Corps was to co-operate with the -Canadians by thrusting forward their left flank so as to gain -position for an attack upon Quéant from the north. The Sixth Corps -on their right was ordered to attack Morchies and Lagnicourt and then -push forward vigorously towards Beaumetz. The First Canadian -Division, with Gagnicourt for its objective, was on the immediate -left of the Seventeenth Corps. The orders to the Seventeenth Corps -were that the Fifty-seventh Division should support the Canadian -attack, that the Fifty-second Division should conform to the -movements of the Fifty-seventh on its left and of the Third on its -right, and finally that the Sixty-third Naval Division, now added to -the Corps, should move up in support and improve whatever advantages -were gained. - -At 5 A.M. the barrage fell and the troops moved forward upon one of -the critical battles of the war. The grand part played by the -Canadians in the north is described elsewhere. The 172nd Brigade of -the Fifty-seventh Division advanced splendidly towards the gap which -had been formed, a storm of gas shells bursting among their stolid -ranks. The leading battalion, the 1st Munster Fusiliers, followed -the men of the Dominion through the breach which they had made in the -Drocourt-Quéant switch, and then according to plan swung sharply to -the right, smashing their way with bomb and bayonet down the whole -line of {136} the German position and so clearing the front for their -comrades. It was a fine exploit and worthy of the great battalion -which carried it out. They were strongly counter-attacked at the -moment when, panting and weary, they had reached their full -objective, and yet they retained sufficient vitality to drive back -the German stormers. - -Other elements of the 172nd Brigade had worked south on the right of -the Munsters, and got forward as far as Possum Lane, so that they -formed a useful defensive flank on the left of the Fifty-second -Division. Meanwhile the 171st Brigade had advanced directly from -Riencourt Ridge and had cleared up the trenches opposite, which were -enfiladed by their comrades. - -The Sixty-third Division was now brought forward to play its part, -with the 188th Brigade, consisting of Ansons, Marines, and Royal -Irish, in the van. At 9 A.M. it passed through the left of the -Fifty-seventh Division about a mile south of Gagnicourt. From this -point it was continually advancing during the day, being in touch -with the First Canadians on the left and with the Fifty-seventh on -the right. By nine in the evening it was seated firmly in the -Hindenburg Line. The switch line of Drocourt-Quéant had been -ruptured as early as 8 in the morning, which was the signal for the -Fifty-second Division on the south to advance upon the main -Hindenburg Line south-west of Quéant. The 156th Brigade was in the -van. Some few parties reached the main objective, but by 10 o'clock -the advance had been suspended, as operations had not yet progressed -sufficiently elsewhere. The Fifty-second continued, however, to -exert pressure at the point of junction between {137} the switch and -the Hindenburg support line. All day progress was being made in -proportion as the attack drove down from the north, so that by 3 P.M. -the front line had been cleared, and before midnight the whole of the -German defences, a perfect maze of trenches and wire, were in the -hands of the British infantry. At this hour patrols had penetrated -into Quéant and found it clear. Such was the close, so far as the -Seventeenth Corps was concerned, of one of the most decisive days' -fighting in the whole of the war. Late that night the tireless -Sixty-third Division had reached Pronville, where they added more -prisoners to their considerable captures. Altogether about a -thousand were taken by the Corps during the day, with a large amount -of material. - -September 3 saw the Sixty-third Division still adding to its gains. -In the morning it occupied Tadpole Copse and advanced upon the Canal -du Nord. It then captured Inchy, but was held up in front of -Mœuvres by strong enemy rearguards. This marked a definite line -of equilibrium which was maintained until the general dispositions of -the Army allowed a further advance. For a considerable time the only -fighting upon this Corps front was in connection with Mœuvres, a -village which remained as a sort of No Man's Land until, on September -19, a spirited attack by the 155th Scottish Brigade of the -Fifty-second Division put it finally into British hands. After this -there was quiet on the left flank of the Third Army until the great -operations at the end of the month. - - - - -{138} - -CHAPTER V - -THE ADVANCE OF HORNE'S FIRST ARMY - -From August 26 to September 27 - -The indefatigable Fifty-first Division--Capture of Greenland -Hill--Fine advance of the Canadians--Breaking of the Drocourt-Quéant -line--Fine work of the Sixty-third Naval Division--Great day for the -Dominion--Demeanour of German prisoners. - - -On August 8 Rawlinson had attacked on the south with the Fourth Army. -On August 22 Byng followed on his left with the Third Army. Four -days later Horne took it up in turn south of the Scarpe with his -First Army. The general function of that Army was to co-operate with -the attack of the Third Army on its right, and to cover the flank of -that Army from the north. Therefore the First and Eighth Corps stood -fast, while the Canadians, who had been brought up from the southern -sector, advanced. They formed the right unit of the First Army, and -were in touch to the south with Fergusson's newly formed Seventeenth -Corps, which was the left unit of the Third Army. As only the -Canadians were seriously engaged up to the end of September the -narrative of the First Army can be easily summarised. It will be -necessary first to explain some preliminary operations. After its -return from its hard fighting in the French line, where it had -co-operated {139} with the Sixty-second Division in attacking the -great German salient upon the Ardres, the famous Fifty-first Highland -Division had only a few days' rest before it was in action once more. -It was now placed on the north bank of the Scarpe in the Arras -sector, The 170th Brigade of the Fifty-seventh Lancashire Territorial -Division lay to the south of the stream, and this was placed under -the command of Carter-Campbell, General of the Fifty-first, so that -he had four brigades under him, with instructions to advance along -the line of the river, as opportunity served, in order to screen the -left of the attack now about to break out in the south. -Carter-Campbell covered from Feuchy in the south to the east of -Bailleul, about 8000 yards. - -It was known that the enemy was withdrawing its advanced positions in -front of the Army, and it was therefore very necessary for -Fergusson's Seventeenth Corps to keep in touch with the Germans in -that region. With this object in view the 170th Brigade in -conjunction with the Fifteenth Division on their right moved along -the south bank of the river to seize the advanced German trenches. -This was done at 1 A.M. of August 19, when a considerable stretch of -ground was occupied with little opposition. An endeavour to increase -their gains on the next night was met by a sharp counter-attack. On -the same night two brigades of the Fifty-first Division pushed -forwards north of the river, but met with very strong resistance. On -August 20 there was another German attack upon Moray Trench, south of -the Scarpe, but the Lancashire men broke it up by artillery and -rifle-fire. By 9 P.M., however, the 170th Brigade were ordered back -from their {140} advanced position, having been badly harried all -day. On August 24 in the early morning the Fifty-seventh Division -advanced with good results, the 153rd Brigade capturing Pippin Trench -and other important points. The 152nd Brigade lay to the immediate -west of Fampoux, and did not move, but the advance was again carried -on upon the left on August 25 with some gain of ground. - -[Sidenote: August 26.] - -Meanwhile the Canadian Corps had quietly taken the place of -Fergusson's Seventeenth Corps to the south of the Scarpe, pushing -them to the south, and all was ready for the big battle which broke -out on August 26, and was a continuation to the north of the large -movement already going on down the line. In this important attack, -the Third Canadian Division was on the left, and the Second on the -right, the two of them bridging the space between the Scarpe and the -left of the Third Army. It was stated by prisoners that the attack -had been foreseen, and that they had withdrawn 2000 yards the day -before. However that may be, everything went very well, and the men -of the Dominion showed their usual determined valour. The 7th and -8th Canadian Brigades, just south of the river, swept along with -hardly a check, save for a time when the 8th was held up behind -Orange Hill. At 7.35, Monchy, important as a place of observation, -was in British hands once more. At 10.45, the 4th Canadian Brigade -had captured GuGuémappemappe, and in the afternoon, Wancourt Ridge -had also fallen to the Second Canadian Division. Here, as elsewhere, -a single day had given what weeks of effort had once failed to -achieve; 2000 prisoners were taken. - -On the north bank, the Fifty-first Division, which {141} was now part -of the Canadian Corps, made a similar advance, both the 152nd and -153rd Brigades sweeping forward, and occupying Rœux, Gavrelle and -the Chemical Works, with little opposition. The Eighth Division was -to the north of the Fifty-first, and it also pushed forward its line, -its patrols occupying Oppy after dusk. - -The Eighth Division, reconstituted under its veteran commander, -General Heneker, after its murderous and heroic experience upon the -Aisne, was the right-hand unit of Hunter-Weston's Eighth Corps, which -was the next unit of the First Army. The front of this Corps was -formed by the Twentieth Division in the north and the Eighth in the -south, and its rôle at this period was to stand fast, but by a -succession of well-conducted enterprises the Eighth Division was -continually encroaching upon the German lines. Presently, as will be -seen, when the line was advanced on the south, the Eighth Corps was -unleashed and sprang forward in combination with the general advance -on either flank. On its left, and following its general movements, -was Holland's First Corps, which was allotted, after September 20, to -the Fifth Army, so that instead of being Horne's northern unit it -became the southern Corps of Birdwood. - -[Sidenote: August 27, 28.] - -On August 27 the Canadians went forward once more, the 9th Brigade on -the left near the river, while the 4th and 5th were on the right. -Again there was a day of steady advance, which was rather a slow -pursuit than a battle. In the evening the line ran east of Cherisy, -but west of Pelves and Haucourt. In the north the Fifty-first -Division attacked Greenland Hill, which was a most important piece of -high {142} ground--so important that it may be said to be the point -on which the whole great advance to the Canal du Nord pivoted. The -attack was delivered with great spirit by the 7th Gordons and 6th -Black Watch of the 153rd Brigade, but they were unable to get the -summit; while the 6th Seaforths to the south of them were also held -up by machine-gun fire. Some advance was made, however, by the 154th -Brigade, which had now come in on the north of the line. That night -the 25th Brigade of the Eighth Division took over this northern -section. - -August 28 saw the Canadians still continuing their slow but -inexorable advance. On that morning their 7th Brigade took Pelves -and Boiry. There were two strong counter-attacks upon the Second -Canadian Division in the evening near Artillery Hill, and for a time -the front line was pushed back, but it soon recovered and held firm. -There was quiet now on the Canadian front, but on August 29 the 154th -Brigade of the Highland Division made a fresh attack upon Greenland -Hill, which was captured by the 4th Gordons and 7th Argyll and -Sutherlands with only slight losses. This important success caused -the evacuation by the enemy of several positions commanded by the -hill, especially Delbar Wood. This capture screened the left flank -of the Canadians and drew from their General a generous message of -thanks, in which he said, "That your division after its continuous -fighting for the last year was able to take and keep the strong -position of Greenland Hill, testifies to the fact that the fighting -qualities of the Fifty-first are second to none in the Allied armies." - -[Sidenote: August 30.] - -There were some changes of troops at this date in {143} preparation -for the big attack upon the Hindenburg switch line which was -impending. The Twenty-second Corps (Godley) now formed on the left -of the Canadians, took over the Fifty-first Division, and also -occupied the south bank of the Scarpe with the Eleventh Division. It -retained the Forty-ninth Division (Cameron) in reserve. On the other -hand, the Fourth British Division was attached to the Canadians, and -came into their centre at Remy and Haucourt. At dawn on August 30 -the Canadian First Division attacked Upton Wood and the trenches -near, with the object of straightening the line and maintaining close -touch with the Seventeenth Corps on the right. This movement was -splendidly successful, and 500 prisoners were taken. The Fourth -British Division advanced at the same time and their line in the -evening was just east of Eterpigny. Next day they were held up once -at St. Servin Farm, but took it at the second attempt. Meanwhile, -the Eleventh Division was moving steadily forward on the south bank -of the river. It was relieved on October 1 by the Fifty-sixth London -Division, acting under the Twenty-second Corps. - -On September 1 the Canadian Corps was outside the Arras-Cambrai Road, -with the Fourth British Division forming its left flank, the Fourth -Canadian its centre, and the First Canadian on the right. It was a -day of local attacks and bickerings, but great preparations were on -foot for the morrow. The first light of dawn had hardly begun to -glimmer in front of the eager lines of infantry before the signal was -given for the advance upon the Drocourt-Quéant line. This line is -not the main Hindenburg Line, but it is a northern extension of the -Hindenburg system, {144} and it may be said to cover the towns of -Douai and Cambrai. The advance of the First Army was on a front of -five brigades--one belonging to the British Fourth Division on the -left, and two of each first line Canadian Division to their right. -The general idea of the day's operations--among the most important of -the war--was to break through the German line upon a narrow front, -and afterwards to roll up the flanks of the enemy, both north and -south. This having been done, the main attack was to push through, -seize the higher ground overlooking the Canal du Nord, and if -possible cross the Canal and seize the farther bank. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 2.] - -The attack should be from the Sensée River, southwards, and the -function of the Twenty-second Corps was to form a defensive flank on -the left of the attack, taking up consecutive positions eastwards -along the River Sensée, and working in close collaboration with the -British Fourth Division. - -There was a preliminary bombardment, but the guns had been busy -wire-cutting during the last three days, so that the great metal -aprons which extended from the German position were ragged and torn. -Hence they offered small impediment to the infantry who dashed -through at the first rush, and easily captured the outlying trenches -which stretched across a low hill. The village of Gagnicourt lay -imbedded in the German trenches, and this was a centre both of attack -and resistance. By 8 o'clock the Canadian infantry of the First -Division had carried the village, while the Canadian Fourth Division -was in Dury on the left, and had made its way into Dury Wood. The -advance had already covered about 3000 yards. Both the barrage and -the tanks were admirable, and {145} the combination beat down the -German defence which at first was not formidable--indeed many of the -German front-liners escaped the shrapnel by running in front of it -and surrendering the moment the battle began. - -As the advance progressed the German resistance grew stiffer, -especially in front of the Fourth Canadian Division at Dury Wood, -where there was some very desperate fighting. All along the line, -pockets of German snipers and machine-gunners did what they could to -redeem the honour of the German Army. Astride the Cambrai Road there -was a particularly strong point of opposition. The defenders were -numerous all along the line--so much so that prisoners from six -different German divisions were captured, including the First and -Second Guards Reserve, and the Third Division which had only arrived -the night before with orders to advance into the Canadian area. Many -of them did so as far as the prisoners' cage. - -This splendid advance of the Canadians had been covered and supported -on the right by the Fifty-seventh Lancashire Division of Fergusson's -Seventeenth Corps, which had cleared up the villages of Riencourt and -Hendecourt in a preliminary operation on September 1. The Lancashire -men made good the Canadian flank, and then the Sixty-third Naval -Division of the same Corps skirted the southern edge of Gagnicourt, -passing the Canadian troops, and pushed on to Buissy, nearly two -miles further east. This advance was on a front of a mile, and -brought the victors into contact with six other German divisions, -each of which provided samples for the cages. Not content with this -fine performance, the Naval Division, who were now ahead of their -guns {146} and without tanks, pushed on again in the evening, and -inclining to the south they captured the village of Pronville, thus -getting to the east of Quéant, which was still held by the Germans. -The Drake, Anson, Hood, and Hawke battalions, together with the Royal -Marine units, were all heavily engaged during this long day of -fighting. - -Meanwhile the Canadians had carried on along the original line of -advance, the First Canadian Division clearing the woods of Loison and -Bouche. On the extreme left the Fourth British Division added to its -great fighting record another strenuous day of battle. It had in -front of it a very strong position, Prospect Farm, which offered a -desperate resistance, but was eventually taken. It was afternoon, -however, before the place fell, which prevented the attainment of the -full objectives of the day. They were still advancing in the morning -of September 3, and before noon they had taken all their original -objectives, including Etaing and Lecluse, while on the same morning -the Fourth Canadians got as far forward as Rumancourt. - -It was a fine victory, which will make September 2, 1918, memorable -to Canadians. Great work was done by the British divisions on either -side of them, but the stress of the attack and the consequent credit -lay with our comrades from across the Atlantic. More than 10,000 -prisoners were taken during the day. Their demeanour as described by -Mr. Perry Robinson, the well-known correspondent of _The Times_, is -of interest as reflecting the softening and disintegrating influences -in the German Army. "As the newcomers arrived they were greeted with -shouts of laughter and welcome by their comrades already {147} behind -the wires, and greetings and badinage and names were called back and -forth. Those inside were mostly eating, and held up bully-beef tins -and biscuits for the new arrivals to see, and the latter cheered -responsively.... Many were very tired, but the whole scene suggested -a new train-load of revellers at some annual bean-feast being -welcomed by fellow-holiday-makers." - -[Sidenote: Sept. 3.] - -The Germans had dammed the river which flows down the Trinquis valley -in front of the Twenty-second Corps, and this had now formed a -considerable lake which hampered operations to the north. The -Fresnes-Rouvroy line when tested by patrols seemed to be still -strongly held. It soon became evident, however, that on the south -the Germans had withdrawn behind the Canal du Nord. The Canadians on -September 3 closed up to the western bank, occupying with little -resistance Recourt and Baralle. During the day the First British -Division relieved the Fourth British Division, while the Second and -Third Canadians relieved respectively the First and Fourth Canadians. -The Canal was found to be full, and all the bridges down, so that -progress was for the time suspended, and a period of inaction -followed, which was accompanied by a bad spell of boisterous weather, -lasting for more than a week. During this time the First British -Division was sent south to form part of the Ninth Corps on the -extreme south of the line next to the French. The Fifty-sixth London -Division took its place on the right of the Twenty-second Corps, and -on September 19 it extended so as to take over the ground held by the -Third Canadians, thus contracting the Canadians' front on that flank, -while it was extended to the south, where it took over from the {148} -Fifty-second Division on the left of the Seventeenth Corps. The -Cambrai Road became the dividing line between the British and the -Canadians. To preserve Horne's uniformity of treatment we shall now -return to Rawlinson's Fourth Army in the south, and we shall carry -each successive Army forward from the end of September to the date of -the German surrender. - - - - -{149} - -CHAPTER VI - -THE OPERATIONS OF RAWLINSON'S FOURTH ARMY - - From the Battle of the Hindenburg Line (September - 29) to the Battle of the Selle, October 17 - -The first American operations--The rupture of the Hindenburg -Line--Predicament of Twenty-Seventh American Division--Their gallant -resistance--Great Australian attack--Remarkable feat by the -Forty-Sixth North Midland Territorial Division--Exeunt the Third -Corps and the Australians--Entrance of the Thirteenth Corps--Rupture -of the Beaurevoir line--Advance to the Selle River. - - -Turning to Rawlinson's Fourth Army, which were last seen in contact -with the old Hindenburg Line along its formidable front from -Vandhuile on the left to Gricourt on the right, it will be remembered -that it consisted of Butler's Third Corps on the left, the Australian -Corps in the centre, and Braithwaite's Ninth Corps on the right in -contact with the French. The time had now come for an attack on the -largest scale in order to endeavour to carry this Chinese Wall of -Germany by storm. The part assigned to the Third Corps in this -important operation was not a large one, and their front was now -contracted to 2000 yards, while two of their divisions, the -Fifty-eighth Londoners and the Seventy-fourth Yeomanry, were -transferred to another area. There {150} remained only the Twelfth -and Eighteenth Divisions in line, which had to cover the left flank -of the main attack which was to be made by the Australian and Second -American Corps, and by Braithwaite's Ninth Corps to the south of them. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 27.] - -At this point the great Canal de l'Escaut passes under a tunnel which -is nearly six miles in length. Thus it is the only place in the -whole line where tanks could be used to advantage. The general plan -was that this section of the line should be carried by the Second -American Corps as far north as the northern entrance of the tunnel. -This done they would extend their gains to the left in a -north-easterly direction beyond Vandhuile, so as to open up a way for -the Fifth Corps. After the line had been taken Australian Divisions -were to move forward through the Americans and push the advantage to -the east. The rôle of the Third Corps was to cover the left of the -Americans, and then, when the latter had moved northwards, to mop up -Vandhuile, establish bridge-heads east of that point, and bridge the -canal for the Thirty-eighth Welsh Division on the right of the Fifth -Corps to get across. - -Before the general attack which took place on that _dies irae_, -September 29, the Americans had a brisk fight of their own, which -deserves some special mention as it was the first large operation of -an American force acting as part of a British Army. The Second -American Army Corps (General Read) had been specially selected to -lead the attack on September 29, and as a preparation for this great -effort they were ordered to make some advance along their whole front -in order to gain an advantageous point from which to start. They lay -roughly along {151} the front of the Hindenburg outpost line, but -they needed to draw up closer to the main line before the day of -battle. On the night of September 24, General O'Ryan's -Twenty-seventh American Division from New York on the left relieved -the Eighteenth and Seventy-fourth British Divisions, taking over a -front of 4500 yards opposite to Gouy. The defences immediately -before them were particularly strong, including the notorious danger -points, the Knoll, Quinnemont Farm, and Guillemont Farm. The 53rd -American Brigade (Pierce) took over the line, with the 106th Infantry -Regiment in front and the 105th in support. The entire American -front was from near Vandhuile in the north to Bellicourt in the south. - -The tunnel, which formed a special feature in the next great battle, -deserves some description, as it was a remarkable feature dating back -to the First Empire, and still bearing upon its arches the laconic N -of the great Corsican. It is 6000 yards long and averages 50 feet -below the surface, with a breadth of about 70 feet. The Germans had -converted it into an extraordinary military work, for it was stuffed -with barges in which a whole division could take absolute refuge from -the heaviest barrage ever launched. There were all sorts of -bolt-holes in every direction for getting in or out, and there were -powerful machine-gun emplacements along the top. Altogether it was -as awkward a nut to crack as any military engineer could conceive. -The main Hindenburg Line lay a couple of hundred yards west of the -tunnel, a heavily-wired system of trenches. About a mile farther -east was a strong support line joining the villages of Nauroy and Le -Catelet, while {152} two or three miles farther on was yet another -strong position, known as the Beaurevoir line. The way in which -Americans, Australians, and British combined with equal valour to -hunt the Germans out of this terrific series of positions is a story -which will go down in the common traditions of the English-speaking -race. - -At 5.30 A.M. on September 27 there was the preliminary operation, -already mentioned, which should gain the ground necessary for the -jumping-off place. This was done by General Lewis' Thirtieth -American Division on the right with little difficulty. It was -different with the Twenty-seventh on the left. On this flank a depth -of about 1100 yards had to be gained, coinciding roughly with the -rearmost trenches of the Hindenburg outpost line. This task was -carried out by the 106th Infantry with all three battalions in line -and four tanks ahead of each battalion. The leading companies, -following the barrage, reached their objectives in most cases, but -were involved in desperate fighting at the points already mentioned, -which were connected by cross-cuts with the main German line, from -which there flowed an endless supply of reinforcements. All day -attack and counter-attack followed each other, both parties fighting -with great valour and enduring heavy loss. By night the 53rd -American Brigade was well advanced on its right, but its left was -still battling hard to reach the allotted line: 8 officers and 259 -Germans had been taken in the fighting. That night the 54th Brigade -(Blanding) took over the new front and lay ready for the coming -battle, with the 108th Infantry on the right and the 107th on the -left. On the front of the Thirtieth Division {153} the 60th Brigade -(Faison) was in line, with the 119th and 120th Infantry in the van, -the latter to the right, in touch with the British Ninth Corps to the -south of them. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 29.] - -The task which lay before the New Yorkers of the Twenty-seventh -American Division was particularly difficult, because the men were so -scattered over 1100 yards of depth that the barrage had to be thrown -forward to cover that area of ground. Thus the main body of the -stormers had to cross that space before getting the full protection -of the artillery. There were no American guns in action, but the -British artillery was as splendidly efficient as ever, crashing down -at 5.30 A.M. upon the starting line, where it lingered for four -minutes and then advanced at the rate of 100 yards in every four -minutes. The German barrage came down instantly in reply, and though -it was not very heavy it inflicted considerable damage upon the -supporting troops. What with fog and smoke it was difficult to see -more than a few feet in any direction, and this was a great advantage -to the stormers, the more so to troops who are so individual as the -Americans. The Thirtieth Division on the right, a unit raised in the -Carolinas and Tennessee, dashed through the main Hindenburg Line in -the most gallant fashion, capturing Bellicourt on the way, while the -veteran Australian Fifth Division passed through their cheering ranks -after they had reached their allotted limit. The 117th American -Regiment on the right was in close touch to the south with the -Forty-sixth British Division, whose fine advance is chronicled -elsewhere, so that the British, American, and Australian dead lay -along the same battle-line. {154} The 120th American Regiment on the -left had taken and held Nauroy, but had been forced to bend its line -back at the north end as far as the tunnel, on account of the fire -which beat upon them on that flank. - -The Twenty-seventh Division had met with grave difficulties from the -start, for the tanks encountered mines and traps, while the infantry -as already explained had practically no barrage, and found a strongly -posted enemy in front of them. The men behaved with the utmost -gallantry and the officers led them with great devotion, but no -troops in the world could have carried the defences under such -circumstances. For a thousand yards north of the inter-divisional -boundary, near the village of Bony, they got into the main line, and -from point to point all along the front bold parties pushed forward -as far as Gouy and Le Catelet, many of whom never got back. The more -successful were ruined by their own success, for as the mist rose it -was found that in their swift advance they had left many pockets and -strong points behind them which fired into their backs when they rose -to advance. The Third Australians, following up the attack, could do -little to make matters better, for all this part of the field of -battle was such a complete mix-up, and the two armies were so -dovetailed into each other, that it was impossible to use artillery, -and yet the situation was such that without artillery it was quixotic -madness for the infantry to advance. The reinforcing Australians -were held up on the line between the Knoll and Guillemont Farm. -Groups of brave men gathered together from time to time, and stormed -up to Guillemont and Quinnemont Farms, which were among {155} the -most deadly of the German strongholds. A British Divisional General -assured the present chronicler immediately after the action that he -had never seen the dead lie so thick at any spot during the war as -the Americans lay round Guillemont Farm. Neither the blue-clad -infantry of Grant nor the grey Confederates of Lee showed a higher -spirit than the khaki-clad lads who fought alongside the British that -day. The best that could be done, however, was to hold such ground -as had been gained, and to wait until the advance of the Fifth -Australians from the south, and of the Eighteenth British Division -from the north, should make all their section of line untenable for -the Germans. The Twenty-seventh Americans and Third Australians had -in the meantime held on to every inch of ground they had gained, and -also to every prisoner whom they had taken. On the night of -September 30, the Americans, shattered in numbers, but with unabated -spirit, were withdrawn from the line. Altogether 40 officers and -1100 men had been taken from the enemy.[1] - - -[1] It was the privilege of the present writer to see the actual -operations during this decisive action which broke the Hindenburg -Line. His account, written at the time, of his personal experience -is too slight for the text, but has been reproduced in the Appendix, -where it can be consulted or avoided by the reader. - - -It is necessary now to state the difficult and confused events of -September 29 from the point of view of the Fifth Australian Division, -who had almost as severe a day as their compatriots on the left. -General Hobbs' Division went forward with the 8th Brigade on the -right, which was in constant touch with the British troops. On the -left was the 15th Brigade, which eventually found its northern flank -in the air on account of the hold-up {156} in that quarter. At 9.40 -the line of the 8th Brigade passed Bellicourt, which the Americans -had cleared. As they advanced, however, they were scourged by a very -heavy fire from the direction of Nauroy. At midday the 32nd -Battalion of Australians on the right were in touch with the 4th -Leicesters on Knobkerry Hill. As the Brigade advanced they came upon -concrete pill-boxes of the familiar type behind Nauroy which caused -heavy losses. Joncourt on the right was taken by the 32nd Battalion, -and at 8 in the evening the general line of Nauroy-Le Catelet had -been reached. - -The 15th Brigade on the left had the harder task. The fog and the -rapidity of the American advance had combined to leave a number of -machine-guns still active, and there was constant opposition. Touch -was maintained with the 44th Battalion of the Third Australian -Division on the left. A great many scattered groups of Americans -were reached, most of whom came on with the Australians. The Brigade -had been well provided with tanks, but in the space of fifteen -minutes all the heavies and most of the whippets had been knocked -out. So mixed were the conditions and so thick the clouds over the -battlefield that for a time the 59th Australian Battalion on the left -was altogether lost, but the 57th and 58th fought on together, and -with their American friends reached the Le Catelet line, a bunch of -Germans remaining in the trench between the two battalions. The 59th -was afterwards found to have trended northwards and to be in close -liaison with the right of the Third Australian Division. - -The fighting had been mixed on September 29, but it became still more -so next day, and it will tax the {157} industry of some Antipodean -historian to trace each unit, Australian or American, and define -their relations to each other. The rôle of the 15th Brigade was -simple as it was directed to make good the rest of the Nauroy-Le -Catelet line, which was in time accomplished. The 14th Brigade was -ordered to attack northwards in order to help the left flank which -had encountered such difficulties on the first day, while the 11th -Brigade was also directed towards the north-east, and ordered to take -a strong impediment called the Knob, which was eventually done. The -53rd Battalion which led the 14th Brigade distinguished itself -greatly, advancing with a steady persistence which always gained its -ends, and overflowing the German field-guns. It was finally held up, -however, and a strong counter-attack drove it to take refuge in that -part of the Le Catelet-Nauroy line which was already in British -hands. There was a good deal of close fighting in this quarter but -the gains were held by the 15th Brigade, which failed, however, to -get Cabaret Wood Farm. On October 1 the 56th Australian Battalion, -with the aid of tanks, carried Estrées. - -We shall now follow the work of General Braithwaite's Ninth Corps on -the extreme right of the whole British Army on this great day of -battle. This Corps consisted now of the First, Sixth, Thirty-second, -and Forty-sixth Divisions. Of these, the Sixth Division (Harden) was -in touch with the French, the First (Strickland) was in the centre, -and the Forty-sixth (Boyd) was on the left. Opposite the Corps lay -the broad and deep St. Quentin Canal, and the storm troops of the -Forty-sixth Division were fitted up with 3000 life-belts, having -proved {158} by experiment that they were buoyant enough to support a -fully-equipped man. Since the Spanish infantry of Alva waded out -neck-deep to attack the Dutch defences on the Frisian Islands there -has surely never been a more desperate enterprise than this, when one -remembers that on the farther side of the Canal was every devilment -which German sappers could construct, while no tanks could lead the -van of the stormers. The general plan was that the Forty-sixth North -Midlanders should take the whole position between Bellenglise and -Riqueval; that the Thirty-second Division (Lambert) should then pass -through their ranks and push onwards to Tronquoy and beyond; while -the First Division should carry out a difficult turning movement by -swinging its left flank north-east to form a defensive line between -Pontruet and the Canal at the right of the Forty-sixth Division's -advance. The Sixth Division was to make threatening demonstrations. - -The very special obstacles which lay in the path of the Ninth Corps -had led to a reinforcement of their artillery, so that it was after a -two days' bombardment from 500 pieces of all calibres that the -assault was made at the same hour as that of the Americans on the -left. The Stafford men of the 137th Brigade led, with the 1st -Regular Brigade covering their right flank. An advance line of -German trenches intervened between the British and the Canal. -Favoured by the thick mist the attackers were able to overrun these -without any great loss, killing most of the garrison who fought -bravely for every inch of ground, and winning their way to the Canal. -In the meantime the 1st North Lancashires cleared the trenches on -their {159} right, while farther south the 1st Black Watch pushed -forward from Pontruet, cleared the trenches north-east of that place, -and finally, squeezing out the North Lancashires, fought their way -down to the right flank of the Stafford stormers. - -The 3rd Infantry Brigade had also become strongly engaged on the -right of the First Division. The 1st Gloucesters were pushed along -the high ground a mile south-east of Pontruet. Here they were held -up for the time, but the 1st South Wales Borderers came in on their -left and connected up with the Black Watch. All day the 3rd Brigade -threw back a long flank north of Gricourt to the Sixth Division, -which was ordered to hold its ground. - -The 137th Brigade having fought its way to the banks of the St. -Quentin Canal proceeded now to force the passage. The 6th South -Staffords on the right found the water low and there was little -swimming to be done, but the 5th South Staffords in the centre, and -the 6th North Staffords on the left were hard put to it to get -across. The men dashed backwards and forwards on the bank, like -hounds that are balked, looking for the most hopeful spot, and then -springing into the water, sink or swim, with their gallant officers -trailing ropes behind them as they got across. In a few minutes the -whole smooth surface of the Canal for a mile or more was dotted with -the heads of the English infantry, while cables, broken bridges, -extempore rafts, and leaking boats were all pressed into the service. -Within a few minutes the dripping ranks were into the trenches on the -eastern bank, where the moral effect of their dashing achievement -took all the iron out of the defenders. At Riqueval the bridge was -intact and the enemy pioneers in the {160} act of blowing it up when -the British sappers and infantry swarmed in upon them and bayoneted -them with the lanthorns in their hands. This bridge and a second -pontoon bridge made later by the engineers and pioneers of the -Forty-sixth and Thirty-second Divisions, were invaluable as a means -of communication. - -The trenches and the tunnel entrance at Bellenglise were soon -occupied and the perilous passage had been safely made. The advance -then continued, the teams of four guns being shot down as they tried -to get away. The 138th Lincolns and Leicesters with the 139th -Sherwood Forester Brigade had relieved the Stafford battalions, which -dropped back after having performed one of the most notable feats of -the war. These two brigades began to go forward preceded by twelve -tanks which had made their way round over the solid ground on the -Australian front. The advance was much impeded, however, by some -German guns on the west side of the Canal, to the south of the point -where it had been crossed. These guns, firing into the back of the -139th Brigade on the right, knocked out by direct fire every one of -the six tanks allotted to it. A party of the Foresters then -recrossed the Canal, shot or bayoneted these gunners, and -extinguished the opposition in the rear. - -The 138th Brigade on the left advanced well, and by 12.30 was near -Magny and Le Haucourt, but it was necessary to call a halt, as the -failure to hold Nauroy upon the left had exposed the north flank of -the division, while the south flank had always been somewhat in the -air. During the delay the barrage got ahead, but the infantry soon -overtook it {161} once more, racing eagerly for the protection of -that slowly-moving cyclone. By 3 P.M. all objectives allotted to the -Forty-sixth Division had been taken, and by 4 P.M. the Thirty-second -Division had passed through their ranks--a glorious military picture -on a day of victory--with the old 14th Brigade in the van. The -leading lines of the infantry were now well up with the German guns, -and it is on record that the German gunners fought with the greatest -valour and continued to fire their guns at point-blank range up to -the last. Many great deeds were done as small bodies of infantry -closed in on these guns, often dashing through their own pelting -barrage in their determination that the enemy should not have time to -limber up and get away. Nauroy had now fallen save only the north -end, which was still a scourge to the left flank of Braithwaite's -Corps. Late in the afternoon the 97th Brigade captured the southern -half of Joncourt, and before night Le Tronquoy had fallen also. From -there the final line ran west of Le Vergies, and then back to -Etricourt, where it was in touch with the Thirtieth American Division. - -Late at night the Sixth Division on the extreme right, which had -endured heavy fighting all along its front during the day, was -relieved by the extension northwards of the Fifteenth French Corps. -The Sixth Division went into reserve. All night there was a -bickering of machine-guns and rifle-fire along the front, and before -morning the 14th Brigade had completed the mopping up of the villages -which it had captured. - -It was a most glorious day's work which reflects great credit upon -General Braithwaite and his men, {162} who were allotted a task which -it seemed presumptuous to demand and yet carried it out to the last -inch. The stormers captured 90 guns and 5400 prisoners during the -day, the vast majority of which (70 guns and 4000 prisoners) fell to -the Midland Territorials. It was fitting that in so intimate a -struggle as that between Great Britain and Germany it was men from -the very inner heart of England who at the critical moment struck the -most deadly blow. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 30-Oct 1.] - -On September 30 there was a continued forward movement on the front -of the Ninth Corps. The First Division took Thorigny and the -Thirty-second Division took Le Vergies during the day, with some 700 -prisoners. The general movement of troops was from the south, the -French taking ground to the left in order to release the British for -that north-eastern movement which promised the more decisive results. - -On the morning of October 1 the Thirty-second Division, in close -liaison with the Australians, completed the capture of Joncourt, and -made progress towards Sequehart. During the afternoon the glad news -arrived that the French were progressing splendidly in the south and -that their pioneers were in St. Quentin. All day the Thirty-second -Division was flowing slowly onwards, taking Sequehart and -establishing its van in the Fonsomme line, which extends from that -village to Beaurevoir. The Germans had given fanciful names to all -of these lines which were taken with such unfailing regularity by the -Allies. There were the Siegfried line, the Wotan line, and other -Wagnerian titles, which led some wit to remark at the time that if -they went far enough through the list of that composer's operas, they -would certainly come, sooner or later, to the Flying Dutchman. {163} -There was some confused fighting in the line south of Ramicourt, but -the setting sun found the Thirty-second Division in full possession. -It was clear, however, that heavy fighting was ahead, as the -Intelligence Department learned that three fresh divisions, the -Eighty-fourth, Two hundred and twenty-first, and Two hundred and -forty-first, had come forward to buttress the line of defence. These -new-comers were strong enough to bar the way successfully to the -weary Thirty-second Division on the morning of October 2. In the -evening the Germans passed to the attack and, backed by strong -gun-fire, they got temporary possession of Sequehart, the British -line being drawn across the high ground to the west of that village. -We must now pause to consider what was going on in the north. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 29, Oct. 1] - -As regards the part played by the Third Corps in these operations it -was mainly limited to the action of the 54th and 55th Brigades of the -Eighteenth Division, with elements of the Twelfth Division. On the -left the 54th Brigade attacked the position known as the Knoll, which -was occupied by the 6th Northants who repelled several severe -counter-attacks. Any further movement was hampered, however, by the -deadly fire of the enemy from Guillemont Farm. The 55th Brigade was -unable, as planned, to get down the Macquincourt valley as the -Hindenburg Line, which commanded it, was still intact. Next morning, -however (September 30), it was found possible to get forward as far -as Guillemont Farm and Vandhuile village, which were occupied with -little loss, but the enemy was still in force in the Hindenburg Line -behind it, and attempts to cross the Canal were checked by the German -machine-guns. {164} The 37th Brigade of the Twelfth Division held -the front line to the north-west of Vandhuile, with outposts along -the Canal, which they also were unable to cross. On October 1 it was -realised that the Australians working north had got in contact with -the remains of the Twenty-seventh American Division, and also with -the 55th Brigade in the Macquincourt valley. On the left the Fifth -Corps had also reached the Canal. At noon on October 1 the long term -of service of the Third Corps was at an end, and their section was -taken over by Morland's Thirteenth Corps. The work of the Third -Corps during that time had been very brilliant. Between August 8 and -September 30 the five divisions which composed it met and overthrew -twenty German divisions, including a number of the very best troops -which the enemy retained in the field. They pushed them back over 25 -miles of difficult country, and captured 15,700 prisoners in all with -150 guns. The achievement was the more remarkable as the troops -employed were mostly young and untried, the successors of those -veterans who had laid the foundations of the great reputation of -these grand divisions. 1100 officers and 24,000 men in the list of -casualties attest the severity of the service. In estimating the -work of the latter period it is to be remembered that the Germans -were in the line which they had been taught to consider impregnable, -with very heavy artillery support, so that it is not surprising that -it took six days to drive them back 4000 yards to the main outpost -line, and another week to gain the Canal 2000 yards farther east. -This remark applies equally to the Corps on either side. - -Braithwaite's Ninth Corps having passed the St. Quentin {165} Canal -in the dashing way already described, had established itself firmly -upon the other side during the first two days of October. On October -3 it made a further forward movement in close liaison with the -Australians on the left. The two very tired divisions which had -fought incessantly for four days, the Forty-sixth on the left and the -Thirty-second on the right, were still in the van. There was some -hope of a break from these repeated hammer-blows, so the Fifth -Cavalry Brigade were close behind the infantry, waiting hopefully for -the developments of the day. The First Division on the right was -told off to keep in touch with the French Fifteenth Corps which was -joining in the attack. - -Both divisions, starting at 6.25 in the morning, made excellent -progress. Ramicourt was carried by the Midlanders in the first rush, -and it had been cleared before 7.30. By 8, Sequehart, with 200 -prisoners, had fallen to the Thirty-second Division. The final -objective was the village of Montbrehain and Mannequin Hill. On the -left the Second Australian Division, advancing with irresistible -dash, had occupied Wiancourt and were making good progress towards -Beaurevoir. By 11, some of the Forty-sixth Division were on -Mannequin Hill, and some on the left were in the outskirts of -Montbrehain, but the Australians had been held up to the north of -that village, which made the situation very difficult. By 3 P.M., -however, the whole of this important point had fallen, with the large -capture of 70 officers and 2000 men. There was very severe and close -fighting in the village all day, and the northern flank of the -Midland Territorials was still bare to enfilade fire, so they were -drawn back to the western outskirts, which are on the reverse slope -{166} of the hill east of Ramicourt. At 7 P.M. the Germans -counter-attacked on the British right and for a time regained the -crest of Mannequin Hill, but they were pushed off again after dark. -Another counter-attack against the Thirty-second Division about the -same hour at Sequehart was a complete failure. During the night one -brigade of the First Division and a dismounted section of the 5th -Cavalry Brigade reinforced the utterly weary Forty-sixth Division on -the left. In the meantime the French Fifteenth Corps, which had -attacked with no marked success during the day, elongated its line to -the north so as to relieve the First Division. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 30-Oct. 3.] - -The breach made during this day's fighting in the Beaurevoir-Fonsomme -line, together with the action of the New Zealanders, presently to be -described, in keeping their grip of Crevecœur in the north, had -completely destroyed the resistance of the last of the great -organised defences of the Hindenburg system to which the enemy had -trusted as being impregnable. Officers who went over these works -immediately after the fighting were amazed at the breadth and -strength of the wire and the depth of the dug-outs and trenches. -Their final destruction was due to the action of many forces, -British, American, and Australian, all equally heroic, but the -historian of the future surveying the whole field with the detailed -facts before him, will probably agree that the outflanking forces at -either end, the New Zealanders in the north and the Englishmen of the -Midland Division in the south, stand pre-eminently out in this -wonderful achievement. Sir Douglas Haig visited the Ninth Corps on -October 4 and congratulated it upon the vital work which it had -accomplished. - -{167} - -October 3 had been a day of desperate fighting for the Second -Australian Division on the left of the Ninth Corps, which had taken -the place of the Fifth Australians, while the Eighteenth British had -relieved the Third. Their attack was upon the Beaurevoir line, -including the village of Beaurevoir, and though the latter was not -taken considerable progress was made. The advance was made with -Martin's 5th Brigade on the right, while the 7th Brigade (Wisdom) was -in touch with the Fiftieth British Division on the left. Sixteen -tanks lumbered in front of the line of infantry. The honours of the -day rested with the 18th, 19th, and 25th Battalions, in that order -from the right, who swept forward against the formidable German -position. So terrible was the fire and the wire that the two -right-hand battalions drew back and lay down while the guns were -again turned on. They then rushed the line almost before the flying -fragments of splintered wire had reached the ground. Two hundred -prisoners and eighteen machine-guns were the fruits, while the 25th -on the left got the village of Lormisset. The first phase of the -action ended with the possession of the German line from this village -to the divisional boundary on the right, and the formation of a -defensive flank by the 7th Brigade, facing north. The 17th and 20th -Battalions then pushed in and got Wiancourt. Altogether 11 -battalions, with an average strength of 200, were concerned in this -operation, and they took 6500 yards of double-trenched system. They -lost roughly 1000 men, but killed as many Germans, besides taking -1200 prisoners, 11 guns, and 163 machine-guns. A German officer -summed up the enemy view by saying, "You Australians are all {168} -bluff. You attack with practically no men and are on the top of us -before we know where we are." - -[Sidenote: Oct. 3-6.] - -The total effect of the fighting on October 3 in this section of the -line had been extraordinarily good, though all objectives had not -been taken. As the net result the British held the line for 10,000 -yards from Sequehart to the west of Beaurevoir. At one time the -gains had been greater but the enemy had countered with great valour, -the Twenty-first Reserve Division, Twenty-fifth, and One hundred and -nineteenth all making very strong attacks, so that the advanced line -was retaken all along. On October 5, however, the division in the -north got Beaurevoir while the 6th Australian Brigade carried out a -very dashing attack by which the village of Montbrehain, which had -already been taken and lost, was now permanently occupied. This hard -struggle was begun by the 21st and 24th Battalions, but both were -very worn, and there was not sufficient weight and impetus to drive -the attack home. It was at this crisis that the 2nd Australian -Pioneer Battalion, which had never been in action, made a fine -advance, losing 400 of its number but saving the situation and -capturing the village with 600 prisoners. - -Immediately after this battle the Second American Corps took over the -whole line from the Australians, who retired for a rest which proved -to be a final one. So exit from the world's drama one of its most -picturesque figures, the lithe, hawk-faced, dare-devil man of the -South. His record had always been fine, and twice on a day of doom -his firm ranks stood between the Empire and absolute disaster. The -end of March on the Somme, and the middle of April in Flanders, are -two crises in which every man who speaks {169} the English tongue the -whole world over owes a deep debt of gratitude to the men who stemmed -the rush of German barbarism which might have submerged the world. -But their supreme effort lay in those last hundred days when, -starting from the Abbé Wood, west of Villers-Bretonneux and close to -Amiens, they carried their line forward in an almost constant -succession of battles until they were through the last barrier of the -desperate and redoubtable enemy. The men were great; the officers, -chosen only by merit, were also great; but greatest of all, perhaps, -was their commander, Sir John Monash, a rare and compelling -personality, whose dark, flashing eyes and swarthy face might have -seemed more in keeping with some Asiatic conqueror than with the -prosaic associations of a British Army. He believed in his men, and -his men believed in him, and their glorious joint history showed that -neither was deceived in the other. So exit Australia. _Ave et vale!_ - -It has been already stated that Morland's Thirteenth Corps took over -the sector which formed the left of Rawlinson's Fourth Army, after -the Third Corps which had occupied this position was drawn out for a -rest and reorganisation. The same relative positions were -maintained, so that from October 1 when they first came into action -till the end of the war the Thirteenth Corps had the Fifth Corps of -the Third Army on their left, and the Australians and their -successors on their right. They came into line at that very critical -moment when the great Hindenburg Line had been broken on their south -by the Americans and Australians, but when the situation was -difficult on account of a large body of the former, the remains of -the Twenty-seventh Division, {170} being embedded in the German -lines, having advanced with such speed that the trenches had not been -cleared, so that they found themselves with as many enemies on their -rear as in their front. That under these circumstances there was no -great surrender speaks volumes for the spirit and constancy of the -men. - -The Thirteenth Corps took over Lee's seasoned Eighteenth Division -from the Third Corps. It contained also the Twenty-fifth Division -(Charles), which had been practically annihilated in the three -desperate battles described in the previous volume, but had now been -rebuilt largely of men from the Italian front where the reduction of -brigades to the three-battalion scale had liberated a number of -trained and veteran soldiers. It was now commanded by General -Charles, an officer who had signalised his professional youth by -riding round the rear of the Boer army in the company of young -Captain Hunter-Weston. There was also the Fiftieth Division -(Jackson) which has so often been described in the van of the battle. -It had also been reconstituted after its practical destruction, and -now contained no less than six Regular battalions from the East, full -of experience and also, unfortunately, of malaria. Finally there was -Bethell's Sixty-sixth Division, a Lancashire Territorial unit which -had played a fine part on several historic occasions. The South -African Brigade now formed part of this Division. Altogether General -Morland had a sound hard-working team under his hand, with a strong -backing of artillery. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 3.] - -The Fourth Army was now across the line of the Canal de l'Escaut, but -it was necessary to clear a way for General Byng's Third Army to -cross on the north. With this object it was wise to push the {171} -attack in the south and so to outflank the Germans that they would -have to abandon the whole position. It was with this object that the -Ninth Corps and the Australians were ordered to attack on October 3 -as already described in order to secure the high ground east and -north of Beaurevoir and the villages of Montbrehain and Sequehart, -while the Thirteenth Corps conformed, pivoting on its left, and -capturing, as will be shown, the villages of Gouy and Le Catelet and -the rising ground known as Prospect Hill. The two villages which lie -in a basin surrounded by hills were powerfully held and fortified. -To the west of Le Catelet the St. Quentin Canal runs between steep -banks, which rise 50 feet above the water at that part, but come down -to the normal at Vandhuile. - -On the front of Morland's Corps only one division, the 50th, was in -line, the others being arranged in depth behind it. Sugden's 151st -Brigade was on the right in close touch with the Australians, the -149th on the left. The latter was to hold its ground and form a -hinge round which everything in the south should swing. - -Early on October 3 the attack started in a thick mist, which made -observation impossible--not an unmixed evil when a strong defensive -position is to be stormed. The troops went forward with splendid -dash, meeting with varied experiences as they encountered the strong -posts of the enemy, but continually getting forward, though they had -not attained the level of the Australians when about 9 A.M. the -latter had occupied the Masnières-Beaurevoir line. The 6th -Inniskilling Fusiliers who had been told off to take Prospect Hill -had been drawn {172} into the fighting in the village of Gouy, but -the 1st Yorkshire Light Infantry pushed in on their right and -sweeping past the village, caught up the barrage and captured the -hill which it at once consolidated. By 10 o'clock the whole of the -original objective, including both villages, had been occupied, while -the Australians were in Estrées to the south. The rest of the day -was spent, however, in holding the new line against very vigorous -counter-attacks which drove down from the north-east and pushed the -4th King's Royal Rifles of the 150th Brigade (Rollo), who had already -lost heavily, out of Gouy. They rallied, however, and reinforced by -the 2nd Northumberland Fusiliers they restored the situation after -some heavy fighting which came to close grips among the houses. The -Second Australian Division on the right had also lost its hold of -Beaurevoir and been driven by a heavy counter-attack to Beaurevoir -Mill. The night closed down upon these lines, the British having -failed to hold all their furthest points, but having greatly enlarged -their foothold on the far side of the St. Quentin Canal, which had -now been crossed and held from a point 400 yards south-east of -Vandhuile. The Fiftieth Division had used seven battalions and -incurred heavy losses, but it had won Gouy, Le Catelet, and Prospect -Hill, with some 300 prisoners. The tactical success was complete, -but the strategic aim was not yet attained, as the Germans still held -the Canal in front of the Third Army to the left. It was decided, -therefore, to renew the operations at once, bringing in the -Twenty-fifth Division on the right. There was a marked salient in -the German line which included the villages of Beaurevoir and -Ponchaux. The plan was to cut in to the north {173} and south of -this salient and pinch it out. The 151st Brigade came into line on -the left and Hickie's 7th Brigade of the Twenty-fifth Division on the -right, while it was arranged with General Shute on the left that the -Thirty-eighth Welsh Division should support the attack of the 151st -Brigade. There were nests of trenches upon the high ground north of -Gouy and Le Catelet and these were the main obstacles in front. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 4.] - -At 6 o'clock on October 4 the attack went forward in thick fog, so -thick that it was not until 11 that the position of the Divisions -could be defined. At that hour it was learned that the right of the -7th Brigade was in the high ground west of Ponchaux and in touch with -the Australians on the Torrens Canal. They were also holding the -line of railway near the cemetery, but were under very heavy fire -from the villages which raked their position. Neither of the -villages had fallen, so that the attack on the left seemed to have -miscarried. The reports from the Fiftieth Division were that some -progress had been made towards La Pannerie, but that the left was -held up by heavy fire. At 1 o'clock La Pannerie was reported as -taken, but the situation was still unsatisfactory, and the troops -were under the guns of the Germans to the north, especially from -Hargival Farm, which, however, was taken in the late afternoon. -About 6 o'clock the glad news came in from General Jackson that the -enemy appeared to be weakening, and he suggested a farther advance. -This was held over until the Welsh Division should be available, -while all preparations were made for a fresh attack upon the salient -and the villages next morning. - -{174} - -[Sidenote: Oct 5.] - -At 6 A.M. on October 5 the untiring infantry were off once more, -through the usual dense obscurity which shrouds that region of -marshes and canals. At 9 it cleared. The 7th Brigade had been held -on the right, but the 74th Brigade of the Twenty-fifth Division under -Craigie-Hackett, had fought its way past Beaurevoir Mill, and its -left-hand battalion, the 11th Sherwood Foresters, had reached its -objective in a sunken road north-east of Guisancourt Farm. Some -small parties were reported by the aeroplanes to be on the east side -of Beaurevoir, but the Germans were still in the village. They were -fighting with fine resolution, and a heavy counter-attack once more -re-established their line, save that Bellevue Farm remained in the -hands of the 74th Brigade. Further British efforts met with no -better success, so it was decided to reorganise and attack again at -dusk. The glad news had arrived that in the north the Welsh Division -had found all clear in front of it and that the Fifth Corps was -streaming across the Canal. The Fiftieth Division then fell into -line, with the Welsh sharing in their advance. Fryell's 75th Brigade -was now assembled in the dead ground west of Beaurevoir, and about -6.30 dashed at it with levelled bayonets and a determination which -would take no denial. The enemy were swept out of it and the line -carried forward 500 yards to the east of it, while junction was -established with the Australians upon the Estrées-Le Cateau Road. -Nearly 600 prisoners were taken during this day. That night the -Second American Corps took over from the Australians on the right of -the Thirteenth Corps. - -There was now in front of General Morland a high waterless plateau -extending from the St. Quentin {175} Canal to the Selle River. As it -is a country of large, open spaces intersected with sunken roads, it -offers great facilities for the use of machine-guns. It is dotted -with villages nestling in their orchards, but the wide stretches -between are given over to beet-root cultivation. As the German -rearguards were still hanging on to their position, a big attack was -arranged for October 8 which would entail an advance of the -Thirteenth Corps to the Fremont-Serain-Walincourt Road, meaning a -depth of 6000 yards on a 4000-yard frontage. The Twenty-fifth -Division had one brigade on the right in touch with the Americans, -the Sixty-sixth were in front of Serain with two brigades, while the -Fiftieth Division with one brigade was on the left. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 8.] - -The general fight was preceded by a local attack by units of the -Fiftieth Division, at 1 o'clock in the morning of October 8, upon the -strong German post called Villers Farm which overlooked their line. -This was successfully taken, but a simultaneous attack by the -Thirty-eighth Division upon the village of Villers-Outreaux to the -north was held up, with the unfortunate sequel that a heavy German -barrage fell upon the troops as they assembled for the main attack. -They endured tragic casualties with silent patience, carrying through -their preparations with absolute disregard of the shower of -projectiles. The attack was launched at 5.20, the order of brigades -from the right being the 7th, the South Africans, the 198th, and the -151st. - -This attack was a complete success. There was a stiff fight at -Ponchaux, but the village was soon carried. The whippet tanks moved -up with great daring in front of the infantry but suffered severely -{176} from shells and anti-tank rifles. The 2nd Cavalry Brigade, who -were eagerly awaiting a chance to be unleashed, found no opening -during the day. The infantry got forward finely, however, and by 11 -A.M. all objectives were held save on the front of Hunter's 198th -Brigade, which was badly handicapped by the fact that -Villers-Outreaux was still in German hands. By 3 P.M. the Fifth -Corps had taken this village and the left of the Thirteenth Corps got -forward to its extreme point. The Twenty-fifth and Sixty-sixth -Divisions were at once ordered to push forward and improve the -success in every way, and the final line was from the eastern -outskirts of Fremont and Serain up to the distillery on the -Elincourt-Malincourt Road. Some 800 prisoners had been taken. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 9.] - -The battle was continued on the morning of October 9 with a prompt -vigour which was amazing considering the continual exertions of the -troops. It was speedily evident that these attacks had shaken the -enemy and that he had been unable to get his roots down in his new -positions. Much ground was gained with little loss, Elincourt, -Avelu, and Maretz all passing into British hands. It was hoped at -one time that the passages of the Selle River might be seized that -day, but the infantry were too exhausted and the distances too great. -The Canadian Cavalry Brigade, pressing forward in small parties, got -past Reumont and cut off some of the Germans, but larger bodies of -cavalry were faced always with murderous machine-gun fire from -scattered positions. The Sixty-sixth Division had overtaken the -Canadian Cavalry before evening, and the line of the Corps was west -of Escaufort but clear of the eastern edge of Honnechy towards Bertry -Station. They were {177} coming at last into the old battle-ground -of 1914. The wheel had swung full circle. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 10.] - -At 5.30 on October 10 these indefatigable soldiers were off again. -They made good progress until the western slopes of the Selle valley -were reached. Here the Twenty-fifth Division was checked by the fire -from St. Benin, which appeared to be strongly held. At noon the -Sixty-sixth Division was in Le Cateau, but under heavy fire from the -south-west of Forest. About 2 P.M. the 74th Brigade, consisting of -the 9th Yorkshires, 11th Sherwood Foresters, and 13th Durhams, made a -very dashing assault upon the village of St. Benin, and drove the -enemy at the point of the bayonet across the river. It was a fine -achievement but led to no immediate advance, as the stream was -unbridged and strongly defended. The Sixty-sixth Division meanwhile -attacked the ridge to the east of Le Cateau, going forward with the -6th Connaught Rangers on the left and the 18th King's Liverpools on -the right. The Irishmen rushed the town with great gallantry and got -through to the railway cutting on the far side. The latter battalion -got as far as Montay, but found the banks of the river heavily wired -and were unable to cross. The Connaught men were ordered back, -therefore, after dusk, as both their flanks were in the air. They -continued to hold the western bank of the Selle, where it passes -through the town of Le Cateau. - -There we may leave them preparing for the important battle of the -Selle River, while we bring up the Second American and Ninth British -Corps on the right until they also are in line upon the Selle. These -two Corps worked in close liaison, {178} forming the extreme right of -the whole line of the British Armies, which was now rolling forward -in an unbroken wave more than a hundred miles in length, gathering -speed and volume as it went. Some half-cynical Italian critic had -remarked early in the war that the British may only win one battle in -a war but it is always the final one. The hour had now struck and -the line was irresistible in its cold and purposeful determination. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 8.] - -October the 8th was a great day of battle, in which the Second -Americans on the left, the Ninth British in the centre, and the -Fifteenth French on the right were all heavily engaged, the men -advancing with ardour from the knowledge that at last the open land -of France lay before them, and that the nightmares of barbed wire and -permanent lines were behind. Taking the line from the north, the -immediate object of the Americans was to capture Brancourt and -Fremont, including a total advance of 6000 yards. The attack was -made by the 59th Brigade of the Thirtieth Division, with the 60th -Brigade in support. The advance was supported by a number of heavy -tanks and of whippets. The machine-guns were numerous and deadly, -but the Americans would take no denial, fighting with that grim -earnestness which is as much their national characteristic in battle, -as is the debonnaire light-heartedness of the British, or the exalted -abandonment of the French. By evening both villages had fallen and -all objectives attained. Early next morning the 59th American -Brigade advanced once more, maintaining the fight until the early -afternoon when the 60th American Brigade passed through their thin -ranks, taking the towns of Busigny and Becquigny. To carry on a -{179} connected narrative of the American Corps it may be added that -they were still attacking on October 10, endeavouring to secure the -command of the Selle River and the high ground beyond. The 119th -American Regiment in the north captured Escaufort and St. Souplet, -and in collaboration with Morland's Corps got possession of St. Benin -in face of a very hot fire. Finally the 119th Regiment forced its -way to the western bank of the Selle. The 120th American Regiment on -the right had been checked by enfilade fire near Vaux Andigny, and -had to throw out a defensive line to the south, being for the moment -ahead of the general line. This regiment had suffered very heavily -in its fine advance, and it was relieved on the early morning of -October 11 by the 118th Regiment, who found their comrades so -stretched out that they were covering a front of 5000 yards. The -left American sector then remained stationary, but the 118th Regiment -swept forward and took at the point of the bayonet the villages of -Vaux Andigny and La Haie Manneresse, making an advance of 1000 yards. -That night the Twenty-seventh Division came forward and relieved the -Thirtieth. We shall now return and follow the movements of the Ninth -Corps on the right during these five days of battle. - -This Corps had joined vigorously in the attack on October 8, -advancing with the 71st Brigade of the Sixth Division on the left, -the 16th Brigade in the centre, and the 139th Sherwood Foresters -Brigade on the right, the function of the latter being to keep in -touch with the French. The line sped forward without a check for -2000 yards, a squadron of whippets leading them gallantly on. The -16th Brigade had {180} the hardest task, but they forced their way -eastwards, and by midday Mannequin and Doon Hills with Beauregard -Farm were all within the British lines. The cavalry tried to get -through, but the machine-guns were still their masters, and it could -only have been done at the cost of unjustifiable losses. Cerise Wood -was a serious obstacle, but the resistance there suddenly collapsed -before the stern insistence of the 16th Brigade, and 190 prisoners -gave themselves up. Mericourt also was taken. Out of Mannequin Wood -200 more Germans were extracted. Altogether it was a very successful -day, as 4 guns, 35 machine-guns, and 1200 prisoners remained with the -victors. The Corps line on the left was well forward on its -objectives, though on the right the advance had not been as far as -was expected. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 8-9.] - -In order to strengthen the right the Forty-sixth Division was put in -between the Sixth Division on the left and the French. With this -greater weight of attack things went very much better on October 9. -The new-comers captured Fresnoy-le-Grand, while the Sixth Division -took Jonnecourt Farm which had been a lion in the path upon the -previous day. A railway lay across the front and the Germans tried -to build up a fresh line upon it, but in the afternoon they had lost -their grip. The usual organised retreat of the Germans showed signs -now of hurry and demoralisation. Late in the evening the Sixth -Division occupied Bohain, which was found to contain several -thousands of civilians, many of whom had not touched food for three -days, but who forgot their hunger in the joys of liberty. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 10.] - -The next day, October 10, the whole Corps front was moving forward, -but resistance thickened as it {181} advanced, and finally in the -evening they appeared to be once more faced by an organised line of -battle. The Sixth Division was now in touch with the Thirtieth -Americans at Vaux Andigny. On October 11 a fresh German division, -the Fifth Reserve, had come into line, and it was very difficult to -get forward in face of their fire. The casualties were low, however, -and indeed it may be remarked that the greater tactical skill -acquired by years of practice showed itself now, not merely by the -defeat of the enemy but also by the cheapness of the cost. The iron -front of the tank took many a bullet which in earlier days would have -found the breast of the stormer, for brain work in England had come -to the aid of valour in France. Up to now, in all these momentous -operations from the 18th of September, the total casualties of the -Ninth Corps had only been 6000, less than those of many a futile -trench attack in the early years. On the other hand their prisoners -were 12,000, a most remarkable record. - - - - -{182} - -CHAPTER VII - -THE OPERATIONS OF RAWLINSON's FOURTH ARMY - -From the Battle of the Selle, October 17, to the end - -Attack upon the line of the Selle River--Stubborn work by the Second -American Corps--Success of the Ninth Corps--Hard fighting at Le -Cateau--Great feat of the South Africans--Continued -advance--Delay-action mines--Capture of Landrecies--Dramatic exit of -the German machine-gunner--Splendid work of the First Division. - - -There was a pause now on the front of the Fourth Army, and a period -for preparation and reorganisation which was badly needed after the -rapid and unremitting advance. The Selle River in front of the -American section of the line had been carefully reconnoitred and was -found to be fordable except for occasional deep holes. The position -opposite to this Corps was very difficult, the enemy holding the east -bank strongly, with outposts near St. Souplet in the north and Molain -in the south. Across the stream and parallel with it was the -railway, which had an embankment rising in places as high as thirty -feet. Behind the railway was rising ground. - -The Americans attacked with both their divisions in the line, the -Thirtieth being on the right. The 301st American Tank Battalion led -them on. The {183} attack was on a three-brigade front, the -Twenty-seventh Division having both its units in the fighting line. -It should be explained that an American division has only two -brigades as against the three in the British system, but that each -brigade is very much stronger, consisting nominally of 6000 bayonets. -These particular brigades, however, were already very worn, and a -great strain was thrown upon them by the failure of the reinforcing -organisation which, for some reason, had been unable to make good the -very serious casualties already incurred. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 17.] - -The battle began at 5.20 in the morning of October 17. The left of -the American line had its jumping-off place in the partially -destroyed village of St. Souplet, and it was no easy matter to get -forward from the beginning. None the less the whole line fought its -way across the stream and up to the high railway embankment beyond. -This, as in the area of the Thirteenth Corps, proved to be a very -formidable obstacle, the more so as the fog made cohesion of attack -and accurate observation equally impossible. Bandoval Farm on the -left of the line poured out a destructive volume of machine-gun fire, -but it was eventually rushed by the American Infantry. The right of -the Twenty-seventh Division got the village of Arbre Guernon. The -difficulties of this unit were greatly increased by the fact that -their tanks could not ford the stream, and though it had been -arranged that they should join them from the south, where there was a -crossing, only two did eventually arrive, both of which were -destroyed by shell-fire. In spite of everything, however, the -Twenty-seventh Division fought their way forward to the Le -Cateau-Arbre Guernon {184} Road, where they finally halted, as both -of their flanks were, for the moment, in the air. - -The Thirtieth American Division had encountered a fierce resistance -from the start at the villages of Molain and St. Martin, so that they -were held up in crossing the river. After taking these villages they -were faced by heavy fire from the ridge across the river. They -formed a defensive flank, however, up to the point which their -comrades had reached on the left. The total achievement of the -Second American Corps was a fine one, for their prisoners amounted to -nearly 1500 men, while their front had been advanced for 4000 yards. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 18.] - -Next morning, October 18, the attack was renewed by General Read, the -Thirtieth Division bringing up the 60th Brigade which had been in -reserve on the day before. In front of it was a line of -well-fortified villages, two of which, Ribeauville and Ecaillon, were -captured before evening, while a third, Mazinghien, was ringed round -and American patrols were in the streets. This success represented a -further advance of 1500 yards. The last-named village was completely -cleared by the bayonet on the morning of October 19 and the advance -was carried on for a further distance of 3000 yards. The objective -of this day's attack was the high ground overlooking the Canal, and -by night the west slope of this ridge had been reached all along the -divisional front. - -The Twenty-seventh Division had advanced on the left and had taken -Jonquière Farm, pushing its patrols across the St. Maurice River and -up to the ridge beyond, behind which lay Le Catillon. A pause was -now ordered while fresh dispositions were {185} made all along the -British front, and during this pause the two American divisions, -which had fought a succession of severe actions ever since September -27, were drawn out. Their losses had been very heavy, and as already -stated no replacements had been received. In their term of service -the Second American Corps had taken 81 German guns, 6000 prisoners, -and a large amount of material, while their own casualties amounted -to the very honourable total of 364 officers and 12,826 men. They -left the line with the deep respect and affection of their British -comrades, who well appreciated the difficulties which new-comers, -however brave, must meet with in work which calls for so terrible an -apprenticeship. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 17.] - -We will now return to the operations of the Ninth Corps, on the right -flank of the Americans, from October 17 onwards. The action was -started with the Forty-sixth Division on the right and the Sixth on -the left, while the First Division was in close support, ready to -come through when needed. A great forest lay on their front and the -general idea was that the Ninth Corps should encircle this from the -north and join beyond the wood with the Fifteenth French Corps, -General Braithwaite coming forward with his headquarters to the -immediate rear of the battle so as to keep control of what would be a -delicate and difficult operation. One battalion of the 139th -Brigade, attacking on the right of the British line, lost its -direction in the fog and got into so false a position that upon the -fog suddenly lifting it was exposed to very heavy loss from the -German machine-guns. The splendid Sherwood Foresters have seldom had -a more severe ordeal. The left of the battalion swung round, -however, and {186} changed direction, with the result that the -situation was restored. Without any loss of spirit the brigade -rushed on and captured Regnicourt, driving back a heavy -counter-attack which rolled in from the east about 11.30. The other -three brigades in the line, which were, counting from the right, the -138th, 18th, and 16th, all made good progress, though in the fog they -left several lively machine-guns in their rear. Each captured all -the objectives in front, including the wood of St. Pierre. - -The First Division was now coming up behind the Sixth with the -intention of passing through them, but they ran into very heavy fire -before they had reached their allotted positions. Both the 1st and -2nd Brigades had to advance for 2000 yards under the constant -thrashing of the machine-guns, in spite of which these veteran -battalions maintained their cohesion and direction, arriving at their -starting-point in the battle line at the time arranged. Passing -through the Sixth Division they continued the advance, with the 1st -Brigade on the right and the 2nd in touch with the Americans on the -left. The village of La Vallée Mulatre was very sternly defended, -but nothing could stop the fire of the attack, and by 2.30 it had -been entirely occupied. The Forty-sixth Division on the right had -fought their way through the woody country, and had finally completed -the whole scheme by joining hands with the French at the outskirts of -the great Forêt Domanial just north-west of Mennevret. It was a good -day for the Ninth Corps, and the prisoners amounted to 150 officers -and 1500 men, a proportion of officers which suggests that the -demoralisation of the German Army had not stopped at the ranks. -Among the {187} prisoners were samples from 6 divisions, 13 -regiments, and 31 battalions, indicating the urgency with which -reinforcements had been hurried up to prevent a complete fracture of -the line. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 18.] - -In the early morning of October 18 the Forty-sixth Division in -co-operation with the French captured Mennevret and Le Repas. On the -same morning the 3rd Brigade advanced in co-operation with the -Americans on the left and pushed the line forward as far as -Ribeauville. The French had come on well in the south and were now -in touch with the 1st Brigade, while the Forty-sixth and Sixth -Divisions were drawn out of the line. By evening on October 19 the -First Division had made its way forward and was lining the western -bank of the Canal. The Sixth Division now came in again on the left, -and got touch with the Thirteenth Corps, thus covering the gap left -by the withdrawal of the Americans. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 17.] - -Returning to the Thirteenth Corps, who were on the left of the Fourth -Army at the battle of the Selle River on October 17, the weary -Twenty-fifth Division had been drawn into reserve, while the -Fiftieth, their heavy losses made good by reinforcements, were put -into the right of the line once more, while the Sixty-sixth carried -on to the left. The river was at once reconnoitred and found to be a -serious impediment, especially in the immediate neighbourhood of Le -Cateau, where it had been dammed and deepened, while it was commanded -by high ground in the east and also by numerous strongly-built houses -in the town. Arrangements were made, therefore, that the main attack -should be lower down where the facilities were greater. The Fiftieth -Division held this right sector, with St. Souplet as {188} its -southern limit for the 151st Brigade, while the 149th was near St. -Benin. The Sixty-sixth covered the ground up to Le Cateau, the South -African Brigade under General Tanner being north of the town. The -South Africans with great skill and daring arranged their assembly -within fifty yards of the German outposts on the other side of the -stream, at a point where they were absolutely commanded by the German -guns in case of discovery. There they lay in silence until, at the -first twinkle of dawn, they sprang to their feet and rushed forward -to the eight bridges which the sappers with their usual splendid -efficiency had prepared for them during the night. So well had the -bridge-makers worked, that in the region of the main attack they had -actually been able to throw across bridges which would carry forward -the ten tanks allotted for the assault. - -The fog was so dense and the communications so precarious that the -officers in charge of the operations had the nerve-trying experience -of seeing their whole force vanish into the gloom and knowing nothing -of what had become of them, save that the deafening roar of guns told -of a deadly struggle. Soon there came news of disasters to the -tanks. Three drove into a morass and were embedded there. Two -developed engine trouble and collapsed. One never got across. The -others lost their place in the fog and all hope of useful -co-operation with the infantry was at an end. Then came belated news -of the storm troops. The leading battalions of the Fiftieth Division -had got across in safety but had been swallowed up in the fog, -shrouding several German posts containing machine-guns, which opened -on the supports after the front files had passed them. {189} On the -left the formidable obstacle of the station with its heavy loop-holed -out-buildings held up the flank battalion of the 151st Brigade, and -the whole advance was stopped and greatly disorganised at this point. -The railway was a strong line of German resistance, and especially a -wooded mound on its eastern side, which bristled with guns. The -attack being held, the reserve of the Fiftieth Division, the 150th -Brigade, was thrown into the fight which in the early afternoon was -still in a condition of equilibrium. - -In the meanwhile a great deed of arms had been wrought in the -northern part of the line. Tanner's South African Brigade, having -reached the eastern bank of the river, had penetrated the German wire -and stormed through the fog up the hill on the north of the town. -The second wave was held by the concentrated fire, and the first wave -was so utterly lost that the patrols could find no trace of where it -had got to. Just as all hope had been given up, and it had been -arranged to restart the barrage, a brave runner got through with the -news that the leading South Africans were right through the town and -engaged in a desperate hand-to-hand fight in the deep cutting on the -farther side. In order to reach this place they had been compelled -to force their way through another broad apron of untouched wire, a -most remarkable achievement. Gradually the very strenuous German -resistance was overcome, small bodies of South Africans dribbling up -in support of their comrades. By noon this part of the German line -had fallen, with a corresponding weakening along the rest of their -front, for the bravest man is less brave when he begins to think that -the {190} day is already lost and that his self-sacrifice is -manifestly vain. - -With a view to helping the Fiftieth Division the 198th Brigade of the -Sixty-sixth was now ordered to cross the river to the south of the -town, and to strike in on the left of the long-drawn struggle at the -station, where the assailants were now so mixed up that the two -brigades were telescoped into one and all battalion order had been -lost. A strong counter-attack had developed about 3 o'clock on the -right of the line, where the British and American Corps joined, and -this had some success, though the 4th King's Royal Rifles held on -desperately to their ground. It was necessary to send in the 150th -Brigade to steady the line. The 7th Wiltshires and the Munster -Fusiliers were the reinforcing battalions and by their aid the -position was once more restored. It was a dangerous crisis, for with -the river in the rear any sort of retreat would have been disastrous. - -There was now a concentrated bombardment of the obdurate station, and -this seems to have broken down finally the spirit of the brave -defenders. Shortly after dusk patrols forced their way into the -buildings, and by 8 P.M. the whole place was in British hands, and Le -Cateau, save for the extreme eastern outskirt, was cleared of the -enemy. It had been a very desperate battle, the laurels of which -rest with the South African Brigade, who had carried out so -remarkable an assault, and also with the Fiftieth Division which had -held on with such a bulldog grip to its purpose. - -[Sidenote: Oct 18.] - -The day's work had not been quite completed, as the neighbouring -village of Bazuel had not been captured, and this was undertaken on -October 18 {191} by the Fiftieth Division, strengthened by the -inclusion of the 75th Brigade. This operation was carried out with -perfect success. There was considerable opposition from scattered -machine-gun posts, but before noon Bazuel and the whole ridge to the -east of Le Cateau had been secured, while the Sixty-sixth Division -had cleared up the suburbs of the town. Thus the whole capture and -command of the Selle River had been triumphantly accomplished. To -get a complete view of the battle these operations are to be read in -connection with the fighting of the Third Army, as later recounted, -on the left, and that of the remainder of the Fourth Army on the -right. - -After a pause of a few days for reorganisation and readjustment the -active operations of the Thirteenth Corps were resumed in the country -between the Selle and Mormal Forest, a district which was less open -than the plains to the west, but presented special difficulties of -its own, for it was well wooded and was also cut up into numerous -small compounds with thick hedges which presented serious obstacles -to any advance. However, the obstacle had never yet been found in -France or Belgium which would stop a British Army, so the troops -moved forward with a high heart to this new attack. The Ninth -British Corps had taken the place of the Americans on the right, and -was to advance to the line of the Sambre and Oise Canal, while the -Thirteenth, in conjunction with the Fifth Corps of the Third Army on -the left was to reach the main Le Quesnoy-Landrecies Road, near the -western edge of Mormal Forest. The larger aspect of this movement -was that it should cover the right flank {192} of the Third Army -while it carried out its own important attack. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 23.] - -The attack was launched in bright moonlight at 1.20 in the morning of -October 23. The 7th Brigade advanced on the right, with the 53rd and -54th Brigades of the Eighteenth Division in the order given on its -left. The first objective was the village of Pommereuil, and it was -attained in the face of heavy fire from the mills and farms along the -banks of the Richemont River. On the right the 7th West Kents did -particularly well, especially an independent company under Captain -MacDonald which attacked with such vigour that it captured Garde Hill -and Garde Copse, extending its gains outside the divisional area, and -taking many prisoners. The 10th Essex and 2nd Bedfords were also in -the leading line. The second objective facing the Eighteenth -Division was Les Tilleuls Farm, with the great Bois l'Évêque beyond -it, which covered four square miles. By 9 o'clock the Eighteenth -Division had got the farm and was established in the north-east -corner of the wood. Wood's 55th Brigade coming through had got well -forward and was advancing upon the village of Bousies in close -co-operation with the Thirty-third Division of the Fifth Corps. By -11.30 the Twenty-fifth Division was also in Bois l'Évêque and the -British infantry was crashing through the brushwood which makes up -the greater part of the plantation. All these various points were -made good, but it was found that beyond them the enemy had a fixed -line of defence with wire and every other defensive arrangement, so, -as the soldiers were much exhausted from a long day's labour, the -attack was pushed {193} no further. Bousies had been taken after a -hard fight among the surrounding orchards, by those old -battle-comrades, the 7th Buffs and 8th East Surreys of the 55th -Brigade, and the woods were completely cleared. Two field-guns had -been captured near the Richemont River, and the bodies of 30 men of -the 8th Royal Berks within 60 yards of their muzzles showed how -fierce had been both attack and defence. Altogether 50 guns and -nearly 1000 prisoners had been taken. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 24.] - -The attack was resumed before dawn on October 24. On the right, the -village of Malgarni was the first objective and this was carried and -passed by the 74th Brigade. Fontaine-aux-Bois was also captured, but -the Germans held part of their line on the Englefontaine-Landrecies -Road and could not be dislodged. On the left, the Eighteenth -Division, using the same brigades as the evening before, took -Robersart and some scattered farms, but had to fight very hard for -everything they got. The 7th Queen's were the first into the -captured village. The new ground was consolidated and patrols thrown -out to report any weakening of the enemy line. That night General -Wood, who had done such long and fine service with the 55th Brigade, -was invalided and Colonel Irwin of the East Surreys took over the -command. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 26.] - -On October 26, a day of rain and mist, the Fifth Corps was attacking -Englefontaine, and the Eighteenth Division conformed by throwing -forward its left, which involved the 7th West Kents and 8th -Berkshires in some hard fighting. Much work was thrown upon the -Thirteenth Corps on this and the following days in evacuating the -civilians who {194} swarmed in the villages, and who had no -protection against the noxious fumes of the gas shells which the -Germans with their usual thorough-going brutality showered amongst -them. If in the peace terms the Germans found that the hearts of the -Allies were hard and their thoughts stern, they have only to read the -details of their own military history in order to understand the -reasons. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 4.] - -A very large attack had now been planned in which the First French -Army, the Fourth, Third, and a portion of the First British Armies -should all participate. The Germans were known to be tottering and -one more good blow might bring them down. It was necessary to act at -once, for the German delay-action mines, which were usually in the -shape of one shell set to explode among a dump of shells by the road -or railway, were making the communications almost impossible. -Fortunately the ingenuity of the British sappers discovered the -private mark--a small star upon the cap of the fuse--by which the -danger-shell could be distinguished among its neighbours, and so many -a disaster was averted. It should be mentioned that on October 30 -two gallant senior officers of the gunners, Colonels Thorpe and -Burnyeat, were both killed by the same shell. - -The general line of advance of the Fourth Army, which had been -north-east, was now changed to east. The orders given to the -Thirteenth Corps were to advance in that direction, astride of the -Sambre and Oise Canal, to the line of the Cartignies-Dompierre-Bavai -Road. The Ninth Corps was to cross the Canal simultaneously on the -right of the Thirteenth at Catillon and Ors, advancing on the same -objective. The general proposition before the Thirteenth Corps {195} -was a total advance of about ten miles, part of it through the south -end of Mormal Forest, with the forcing of the Canal crossings thrown -in. - -The frontage of the Corps attack was 7500 yards, narrowing down as it -advanced, so three divisions were put into the line. On the right -was the Twenty-fifth Division, with the task of forcing the passage -of the Canal opposite Landrecies, of capturing that town, and of -clearing the country up to Maroilles. The Sixty-sixth Division was -then to carry on the advance to the ultimate objective. - -The Fiftieth Division was in the centre and was to fight a way -through Mormal Forest, while the Eighteenth Division on the left was -to storm the village of Sassegnies. The desperate determination of -the Army may be gauged from the fact that a large number of -life-belts were served out to the leading brigade in case it should -be necessary to swim the Canal for want of bridges. - -The attack, the last great concerted movement of the war, was -launched at 6.15 in the morning of November 4--a day of thick, -all-pervading mist. The order of brigades from right to left in the -initial advance was 75, 149, 150, 54, and 53. Good progress was made -from the beginning all along the line, and the news from the Ninth -Corps was uplifting. They were across south of Catillon and Ors, but -the Thirty-second Division, on the immediate right of the -Twenty-fifth Division, had been held up, so that they were ordered to -move south and pass by the crossings already established. The -Twenty-fifth and Fiftieth Divisions both got well away, the former at -9 A.M. being within 300 yards of Landrecies, while the latter was -well up to the old bugbear, the {196} Englefontaine-Landrecies Road, -though Robinson's 149th Brigade, and especially the 13th Black Watch, -had lost heavily. The Eighteenth Division had also attained its -first objectives and drove off a half-hearted counter-attack. The -7th West Kents had a desperate house-to-house fight in the village of -Hecq, which remained in their hands, while the 2nd Bedfords had a -similar hard victory in Preux, where they were much helped by the -10th Essex. - -The 75th Brigade had forced its way down to the Canal bank. The 5th -Gloucesters had the good fortune to discover two German foot-bridges -and poured across. It was indeed a proof of German deterioration -that such an oversight should have occurred, for it is in attention -to detail that the merit of German soldiering lies. The 8th -Worcesters followed their comrades and these two battalions began to -encircle the town from the south. There was no bridge higher up the -Canal, but a fine feat of arms was performed by a small party of the -122nd Tunnelling Company, who dashed forward, seized the lock gates, -and cut the wires which were meant to blow them up. On the extreme -left some of the 1/8 Warwicks discovered another forgotten bridge and -pushed across to the north of the town, which was now practically -surrounded so that the garrison was soon taken or killed. The -official report remarks: "The capture of Landrecies was an operation -which might well have absorbed the energies of a whole division. -Success was accomplished with a single brigade and was due to the -spirited leading of the officers, the bravery of the troops, and that -element of good fortune which any well-planned and boldly-executed -enterprise deserves." {197} The Eighteenth and Fiftieth Divisions had -pushed on through the forest with hardly a check and surrounded a -considerable number of Germans, who for the most part put up a very -resolute resistance. About two o'clock there were signs, however, -that the whole line was shaking, but it was impossible to advance -farther until the Ninth Corps was in line. The final position on -this most successful day was east of Landrecies, through Le Preseau, -along the west bank of the Sambre to Hachette, and on to Locquignol. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 5.] - -It was guessed that the enemy was in a bad way, but on this evening -it was confirmed by the capture of a cavalry orderly bearing a -message ordering the troops to withdraw to the Sambre during the -night, and to continue the retirement upon Maubeuge. Their skeleton -rearguards still hung on, however, and put up a spirited resistance. -Next morning, November 5, the corps advanced once more, the 74th -Brigade taking La Rosière, while Maroilles fell before noon to the -same division. The Eighteenth Division had pushed ahead and occupied -Sassegnies, while the Fifth Corps were in Berlaimont on their left -and were crossing the Sambre. The Fiftieth Division had more -difficulty as the ground was very water-logged and the resistance -considerable. The day's advance finished by the 74th Brigade, still -in the van, capturing Basse Noyelle, while at dusk the 149th Brigade -got across the Grande Helpe, a stream behind which the Germans were -expected to build up a new line. - -A steady advance was maintained next morning, November 6, though the -constant tapping of machine-guns in front told of the German sporadic -resistance. {198} That night the line of the Thirteenth Corps was -east of Marbaix and Dompierre. It was found that the small enclosed -fields were very helpful in dealing with German machine-guns, as a -concealed flank attack could always be carried out. Armoured cars on -the roads were also found to be of great help to the infantry. On -November 8 there was a sharp fight on the line of the -Avesnes-Maubeuge Road. After the road was won there was a very -spirited counter-attack, the German machine-gunners coming forward -with great heart, though the infantry would not face the fire. The -6th Inniskilling Fusiliers and 1st Yorkshire Light Infantry bore the -brunt of this engagement, which lasted several hours. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 8.] - -The state of supplies made it impossible for the Corps to advance -farther, but the 12th Lancers went on as cavalry, supported by small -mobile columns. A line was reached which ran north and south through -Hestrud, and this proved to be the farthest east of the Thirteenth -Corps, as it was gathering itself there for an attack when the final -white flag was hoisted. Up to the last moment there was local -skirmishing and even a small German attack, which was driven back and -added a few more to the monstrous death-roll of the war. The whole -British Army has an admiration for the German machine-gunner, and one -closing incident of the war may be recorded. At two minutes from the -moment of the Armistice a machine-gun opened up about 200 yards from -the British line, and fired a whole belt without a pause. The gunner -was then seen to stand up beside his weapon, take off his helmet, -bow, and turning about walk slowly to the rear. In his person there -vanished from the stage a brave and {199} formidable character in the -war. His last action was as typical of the remorseless valour of his -corps as that of the British infantry who refrained from shooting him -was characteristic of their chivalrous and sporting instincts. When -the hour of fate struck, the line of the vanguard of the Thirteenth -Corps was just west of Montbliart and Sautain, being the most eastern -point of any troops in the British Armies in France. - -During the five weeks that Morland's Corps had been in the line it -had captured 8554 prisoners and 340 guns, while its take of -machine-guns was at least 2500. It had engaged units of no less than -forty-four divisions, which gives a vivid idea of the state of -disruption which the German Army had reached. From thirteen of these -divisions prisoners varying from 100 to 1000 had been taken, showing -that these at least had been substantially engaged. - -Having brought Morland's Thirteenth Corps to the goal of all its -hopes and efforts, we shall now turn back to the days after the -battle of the Selle River and carry the Ninth Corps on the right on -to the same goal. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 23.] - -On October 23 broke out the general engagement which will be known as -the battle of the Oise-Sambre Canal. The order of battle of the -Ninth Corps on this day was the First Division on the right, with the -2nd and 3rd Brigades in the line, and the Sixth Division on the left, -with the 18th and 71st in the line. It was a night attack launched -at 1 in the morning, and though a heavy German barrage, mixed with -gas, beat upon it, none the less both divisions made good progress at -first, though many obstinate strong points had to be reduced. By 8 -{200} in the morning the First Division was reported as being on all -its objectives from Catillon southwards, with patrols pushed into the -town. The Sixth Division had great difficulty on its left flank -while endeavouring to clear Bois l'Évêque, but late in the afternoon -they got forward again. It was clear by night, however, that the -Germans, who were battling hard, still held some parts of the west -bank of the Canal, including Catillon and Ors. Next morning the -Sixth Division, working in close liaison with the Twenty-fifth -Division on the flank of Morland's Corps, got well forward, but were -still short of their full objective on the left. Every day after -this in a series of minor operations the Corps improved its footing -on the west side of this great obstacle, which was of a most -formidable nature, 60 feet wide, unfordable, with steep slippery -banks and wire mixed with wooden abattis along the farther edge. -Such was the new line of defence behind which the German Army had -rallied, and which offered a fresh problem to the victorious British -leaders. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 2.] - -Most of the western bank had been occupied by November 2, including -the village of Ors, but there were points where deep marshes and -German redoubts on this side had prevented the assailants from -reaching the edge of the Canal. There was also a spur at the bend of -the Canal which enfiladed the line, but this was taken as a -preliminary operation by the Thirty-second Division. It was retaken, -however, by the Germans in a very strong counter-attack supported by -an overwhelming drum-fire. On November 3 the British again got the -spur known as Happe-Garbes, but once again in the afternoon of the -same day the Germans regained it in a very {201} determined advance. -This heavy fighting fell upon the 96th Brigade and specially upon the -15th Lancashire Fusiliers, who were exposed to great pressure all -day. Among many brave records that of Sergeant John Clarke of this -battalion is pre-eminent, who took four machine-guns single-handed, -bayoneting the crews, and fighting with desperate courage at the head -of his platoon from morning till night. The idea of capturing the -place before the general attack of November 4 was then given up, and -other steps were taken to neutralise it. The main crossing of the -Canal was planned to be at Ors, just south of Ors, and at two other -points. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 4.] - -This the last great battle of the war broke out as already stated at -5.45 on November 4, the infantry advance being covered by a -tremendous barrage. The First Division attacked on the right, the -Thirty-second on the left, while the Forty-sixth was in close -support. On the left and in the centre of the Thirty-second Division -two bridges were thrown across the Canal under intense machine-gun -fire, only to be destroyed immediately, before any large number of -troops could get across. On the right of the division, however, the -14th Brigade gained a considerable success, the 1st Dorsets getting -across over a bridge of kerosene tins which was most cleverly -constructed by the Engineers and laid down in the darkness and mist, -so that it was a complete surprise to the enemy. A smoke barrage and -a concentration of machine-guns helped the stormers to get across. -No praise can be too great for the sappers who worked amid clouds of -poison gas in the completion of this essential bridge upon which the -fate of the battle might depend. To {202} one of them, Sapper Adams, -of the 21st Field Company, the V.C. was awarded, but there was not a -man round him who did not deserve the same honour. - -In the meantime the First Division had advanced under cover of a -thick mist, and four bridges having been thrown across, the two -leading battalions got over the Canal, just escaping the German -barrage which came roaring down behind them. The further experiences -of this division, and especially of the 3rd Brigade at Catillon, -should be told in some detail. A special task was assigned to the -brigade, which was to clear the outlying portion of the town, to -occupy the rest of it, and to force the crossing of the Sambre Canal -at the broken bridge. The order of the battalions on the east side -of the Canal was that the 2nd Welsh were on the right, the 1st -Gloucesters in the centre, and the 1st South Wales Borderers on the -left, good old comrades who had fought together from the first. -There were still strong enemy posts on the west of the Canal, and the -enemy had fought tenaciously for every inch of ground. On the far -side of the Canal were many houses which contained machine-guns, and -their fire was always heavy and accurate. The actual attack upon the -town began at 5.45 in the morning of November 4, and was carried out -in the midst of a very dense fog by the 1st Gloucesters under Major -Guild. The portion of the town to the west of the bridge was first -conquered, with the efficient aid of an aggressive tank. Many -machine-guns were taken in the suburban orchards and in the town -itself. The bridge was commanded by a heavy machine-gun, but its -position was spotted and the tank put it out of action by accurate -fire. The British barrage {203} was falling thickly across the -Canal, and the British regimental leaders, those wonderful men on the -spot who adapt themselves to every emergency, crossed at once, so -that when the Germans emerged from their cellars as the barrage -lifted they were received into the expectant arms of the Gloucesters. -Over a hundred were taken at this spot. The battalion then, having -formed a bridge-head, pushed on through the town, mopping up as they -went, while the Welshmen cleared the orchards on both sides. The -captures in this well-managed affair amounted altogether to 550 -Germans, while of the British only 70 casualties were reported. No -less than ten different German regiments were identified by the 2nd -Brigade during this operation, which indicates how mixed and broken -the hostile army had become under the constant pounding. - -At the same time as the 3rd Brigade were capturing Catillon, the 2nd -Brigade on their right had shown great gallantry in forcing their -section of the Canal. They had been ordered to cross by a lock south -of the town, but it was a desperate business, for the lock itself was -hard to reach, with banks and water in front of it, all strenuously -defended. The infantry, with their attendant bridging parties of -sappers, were held up for a time, but Colonel Johnson of the 2nd -Sussex restored the situation, personally leading the assault -forward. It was again checked by the hurricane of fire, but he again -rallied it and eventually led it across. In the subsequent official -report attached to his V.C., it was stated that the offensive spirit -that he had inspired in his Sussex men was entirely responsible for -the successful crossing. - -{204} - -By 8.45 the Thirty-second Division reported that their right brigade -had got across, but owing to the enfilade fire two battalions of the -left brigade had been unable to do the same. About midday, however, -they were all over and had established themselves in a position -south-west of Landrecies. The First Division was now touching -Mezières with its left, where it was pushing on to Fesmy, while the -German line seemed to be dissolving in front of it. It was a great -day for the old division which had fought so gallantly from the first -gunshot of the war to this which was so nearly the last one. Much of -the credit of the victory is due to General Cartwright, the Corps -Engineer, upon whom the weight of these various arrangements had -fallen. - -The Germans were now so fluid that a light cavalry screen was pushed -out in front of the Corps, and the Forty-sixth Division advanced on -November 5 behind it. By 9 A.M. the Thirty-second Division was in -Favril, in touch with the Twenty-fifth on their left. Late on -November 6 Cartignies was occupied. The advance rolled forward -without serious interruption, though there was some bickering round -Avesnes, and on November 8 the Thirty-second Division was established -upon the high ground east of that town. At this time, as already -recorded, the operations of the Fourth Army were confined to the -single mobile column commanded by General Bethell, which was all that -could be sent forward on account of the want of every sort of supply. -Two days later came the sudden news of the signing of the Armistice. -Never was there so sudden and wonderful a change. From dark cloud to -bright sunshine seemed to have been the work of an hour. The long -hurricane had {205} blown out at last and left only the weals across -the country which marked its passage. British officers have recorded -how they sped eastwards in motor cars, and noted as far as the eye -could range the white flags of joy and enfranchisement flying from -the farm-houses and the village spires. The only signs of the -invaders were the litter of abandoned equipment, lorries, and guns -along the roads. For many a week, however, they left terrible marks -of their passage in their delay-action mines, which, with their usual -ruthless and reckless brutality, they had left in railway stations -and other crowded points along the line of their operations, and -which exploded long after the Armistice had been declared. This also -was weighed against them in the day of doom, but indeed the scale was -already overfull, and nothing which they could do could add to the -horror and detestation with which they were regarded by the world, or -to the absolute determination that they should never again raise -their heads--or at least that those heads should never be crowned by -the helmet of war. Such was the ultimate result of the doctrine of -the Superman, of might is right, and of the whole material philosophy -which had emanated from Frederick, miscalled the Great, and poisoned -all Central Europe. - -So ended the splendid work of Braithwaite's Ninth Corps. Its total -advance since September 18 had been 50 miles, during which time it -had captured nearly 17,000 prisoners and 318 guns. - -------------------------------------------------------------------- - -{206} - -[Illustration: The Attack on the Selle.] - -------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - -{207} - -CHAPTER VIII - -OPERATIONS OF BYNG'S THIRD ARMY - - From the Battle of the Hindenburg Line (September - 29) to the Battle of the Selle (October 17) - -Fighting at L'Escaut Canal--Dash of the New Zealanders--The guards in -a hot corner--Crossing of the Canal--Back on the old ground--Great -work by all four Corps of the Third Army. - - -Having for the sake of continuous narrative carried the Fourth Army -to the end of its labours, we shall now return to the Third Army, -which we last saw on September 18 and following days, when it made -good its way through the outposts of the enemy and closed with the -Hindenburg Line. We shall begin with the Fifth Corps on the right of -the line, which was acting in close liaison with the Third Corps on -the left of the Fourth Army. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 27-30.] - -On September 27 there was no particular action on the front of the -Fifth Corps, save that the Twenty-first Division, that hard-bitten -old scrapper, had a prolonged fight in front of African Trench, which -it alternately took and lost, until on September 28 it got its iron -claws fairly fastened in it. On this day it also pushed patrols to -the east of Gouzeaucourt. - -On September 29, the day of general battle {208} along the line, the -Thirty-third Division (Pinney) and the Twenty-first (Campbell) -attacked at half-past three in the morning, advancing upon the -Hindenburg Line on the front Honnecourt-Bantouzelle, while the Welsh -Division operated to the north of that point. There was some -progress at first and Villers-Guislain was occupied, but the enemy -was strong and aggressive, so that the advance was first held and -then forced back to its starting-point. It was not a successful day, -and there seemed no choice but to settle down and subject these -powerful lines to a renewed bombardment. On the morning of September -30 it was found, however, that the enemy had withdrawn his immediate -front on account of the success in the south, and the Corps was able -to push forward to the western bank of the Canal de l'Escaut. The -Germans were still standing on guard on the eastern side. All -bridges were destroyed, and for three days General Shute prepared for -the difficult task of forcing this broad waterway--a formidable -obstacle, it is true, but not one which was likely to stop the men -who had carried the line of the Ancre. We shall now pass to the -Fourth Corps on the left and bring them to the same point. - -On September 27 Harper's Fourth Corps had been given the task to -capture Beauchamp Ridge and Highland Ridge, and clear the front -system of the Hindenburg Line as far as the Couillet valley. The -assault was launched at 5.20 in the morning. The Fifth Division on -the right was from the outset sadly hampered by the fire from African -Trench, which struck upon its flank and inflicted heavy losses. The -division showed its usual gallantry, but the {209} position was an -impossible one until the Fifth Corps got farther forward. The left -of the division, however, and the Forty-second Division made good -progress, though the fighting was very severe about Beauchamp, which -was taken but could not be held, as a fresh German division, -advancing about 7 o'clock in the evening, drove the defenders back to -the west of it. The success of the Sixth Corps in the north, -however, at Flesquières, had an encouraging effect upon the whole -line, and about 2.30 P.M. of September 28 both the Fifth and -Forty-second Divisions came on once more, the latter being -particularly successful in getting prisoners and guns. The Fifth -Division got Beauchamp and Highland Ridge, but was still held up on -the right. By evening the line was well forward on the western -slopes of Welsh Ridge, and some 1700 prisoners had come in. It was -clear that the German line was sagging, so in order to press the -advantage General Harper ordered up Russell's New Zealanders to carry -the battle on through the night. There could be no more stringent -test of the quality and discipline of troops, for the advance had to -be made over unknown country covered with trenches and wire -entanglements, with only a fitful, sinking moon to guide them. At 3 -A.M. of a dark, cold night the splendid Colonials passed through the -ranks of the Forty-second Division and, driving forward, thrust the -enemy off Welsh Ridge and Bonavis Ridge beyond it, captured 1600 -prisoners, and made good the line of the Canal de l'Escaut. North -and South Island brigades kept line in the advance. More than thirty -guns were among the trophies of this magnificent achievement. The -Fifth Division on their right swept forward at the same time near La -{210} Vacquerie, but as Gonnelieu upon their flank had not yet been -captured by the Fifth Corps, their attack was limited on that side. -This was remedied shortly after dawn, when the Fifth Division, weary -as it was, cleared their own right flank, captured Gonnelieu, and -finally took Banteux with 250 prisoners. The indefatigable New -Zealanders had also gone forward after dawn as blithely as though it -was their first attack, clearing the whole of the west bank of the -Canal, and penetrating at one time into Crevecœur, where, however, -they were unable to remain. They did great work here, however, by -holding and partly saving the bridge, all others having been -destroyed, and establishing some sort of bridgehead. - -The total result of these attacks since September 27 on the front of -the Fourth Corps had been the capture of the whole front system of -the Hindenburg Line from Havrincourt Wood to the Canal, and the -capture of 40 guns with 4000 prisoners. Beyond the Canal, however, -lay formidable dangers. Only the Crevecœur bridge remained -British. Beyond was a strongly-wired line of trenches known as the -Beaurevoir-Masnières line, which ran roughly southwards from -Crevecœur. On October 1 the New Zealanders had got a footing, -however, in Crevecœur, and had begun to push troops over the -bridge, but it was desperate work, and the attacking brigade suffered -heavy losses. It was, however, work of the first importance, as it -turned the whole of the Beaurevoir line. There we may leave them, -level with the Fifth Corps on their right, while we turn to follow -the progress of the Sixth Corps to the north, which completes our -survey of the Third Army. - -{211} - -The old Third Division--the "Iron" Division, as its admirers had -begun to call it--attacked on the right, and the Guards on the left. -Deverell's men went forward in splendid form, the 8th and 9th -Brigades overrunning the first objectives, and the 76th passing -through them to the further positions. They captured Flesquières, -the village which had held us up in the Cambrai battle, and by the -afternoon they were east of Ribecourt, with 1000 prisoners trailing -back to the rear. The Guards meanwhile, with the 2nd Brigade in -front, had some very tough work at the onset, but fought their way -forward, and were succeeded by the 1st Brigade who had reached by the -afternoon the old British front line. Continuing from here they -captured Orival Wood, and reached Premy Chapel, though this farthest -point could not be maintained, as the party which had won it had lost -touch with the main body. The whole advance represented a notable -gain of ground. The losses were heavy, and were partly due to the -fact that the flank of the Guards passed Graincourt before the -Fifty-seventh Division in the Seventeenth Corps had captured that -place, so that they were exposed to heavy fire. Even the Guards have -seldom been in a hotter corner or shown more conspicuous examples of -personal courage than during this long and trying day, which brought -three Victoria Crosses to the battalions engaged. Lord Gort, who -commanded the 1st Grenadiers, the leading unit of the 3rd Brigade, -was wounded as the troops formed up, but took no notice of his -injury, led on in the advance upon the Canal, was wounded again, lay -for a time half unconscious upon a stretcher, struggled once more to -his feet, and continued to lead his victorious {212} Guardsmen -through a hellish fire with the final result of large captures of the -men and guns who were opposing them. The crossing of the Canal was -signalised also by a remarkable exploit by Captain Frisby and -Corporal Jackson, who, with two other Coldstream Guardsmen, climbed -down one side and up the other of the dry Canal in order to capture a -machine-gun with a crew of nine who were lying amid the broken end of -a bridge on the farther bank. Jackson unhappily did not survive to -receive the Cross which he had won. - -In the meantime the Sixty-second Division, now under General Whigham, -passed through the Third Division, and continued their victorious -career. Two companies of the 8th West Yorkshires got forward as far -as the north-west outskirts of Marcoing and Nine Wood, but were -exposed to a raking fire from the high ground on the south side of -the Ribecourt valley, so had finally to fall back. That night the -Sixty-second continued to hold its advanced line while the Second -Division took the place of the Guards, and all was ready for the -further advance next morning. - -On September 28 the Sixty-second dashed forward as soon as it was -light, and were soon in possession of Marcoing. There was no severe -resistance. The Second Division on the left kept well in line with -the Yorkshiremen, and were soon the masters of Nine Wood. By 10 -o'clock the steady flow of the British infantry had enveloped -Marcoing Copse, and the 186th Brigade had reached the Canal, where -several bridges were found to be still intact. Noyelles had fallen -to the Second Division, who were now fighting over the ground which -{213} they had held in the old Bourlon days, only nine months ago in -time, and yet seeming so far off on account of the great succession -of events which had elapsed. Some attempts were made to get across -the Canal, but the Germans were there in strength, and nothing could -be done without deliberate preparation. In the evening the -Sixty-second extended its boundaries, and consolidated what it held. -A small party of the Second Division got across the Canal during the -night, but were unable to establish any permanent bridge-head. In -the morning of September 29, however, one brigade of this division -made a lodgment upon the farther side, and remained there, though -with wire and machine-guns before them. Pontoons were brought up -during the day and many bridges thrown across. The Sixty-second -meanwhile had cleared Les Rues Vertes and Masnières and was well to -the east of those villages. - -No progress was made on September 30, and the day was mainly spent in -strenuous preparations by General Harper for his renewed advance. -The Sixty-second Division cleared some more ground, and the Second -Division failed in a village attack, but neither movement was -important. During the evening the Third Division was brought forward -on the right and took the place of the Sixty-second, so that they -might advance next morning in conjunction with the New Zealanders on -their right. This was duly carried out, the 5th Brigade leading on -the left, and the 76th on the right. It was a day of heavy fighting -and of stout resistance. The immediate object was the capture of -Rumilly, which was entered, but could not be entirely cleared by the -76th Brigade. The 5th Brigade found Mont sur l'Œuvre, which {214} -faced them, a particularly tough proposition, and could make no -headway. Altogether the losses on this day were greater than the -gains, but the troops were undismayed and eager to get forward again -on the morrow. - -In the morning of October 1 they came back to their work, the 5th -Brigade still carrying on, while the 8th Brigade took the place of -the 76th. By 10 o'clock Rumilly had fallen, which gave the British a -most important point as regards the passages over the river and -canal. It took a great deal of clearing, for it was honeycombed with -cellars and dug-outs, and there were continual outflames of -unexpected fire. Before evening it was solidly British. No action -of importance took place during the next few days, and the 4th of -October found the Sixth Corps in the same position as the rest of -Byng's Army, solidly established upon the western bank of the Escaut -Canal and River, and with some bridge-heads on the farther side. - -On September 27 Fergusson's Seventeenth Corps, which had done such -splendid work in breaking a section of the main Hindenburg Line on -September 2, was called into vigorous action once more. Its rôle was -to advance in the general attack which was made on that date by the -First and Third Armies in order to drive the enemy over the Canal de -l'Escaut. The Fifty-second Lowland Scottish Territorial Division was -on the right of the Seventeenth Corps, and the Sixty-third Naval -Division on the left, while the Fifty-seventh Lancashire Territorials -had been assigned the duty of following up the initial advance, and -passing through the Sixty-third Division to reach the final -objective. On the immediate right of the Corps were {215} the Guards -Division of the Sixth Corps, while on the left were the Fourth -Canadians. The first line of objectives was the Hindenburg support -line, the second included the villages of Anneux and Graincourt, -while the third, if it could indeed be attained, would include -Fontaine, Cantaing, and the west edge of La Folie Wood. - -A very desperate day of fighting lay ahead of the Seventeenth Corps -before this ambitious programme could be carried through, and yet the -fire and ardour of the troops carried them eventually to the farthest -limit. The 156th Brigade crossed the Canal du Nord on the right of -the Sixty-third Division, in spite of clouds of gas and very heavy -shelling upon their places of assembly. The 4th Royal Scots led the -advance, and were soon in the first objective. Here they were -heavily attacked, however, and there was no further forward movement -until the 7th Scottish Rifles came up to thicken the line. Meanwhile -the 157th Brigade was dealing with that portion of the Hindenburg -Line which was west of the Canal, their operations being on the -extreme right flank of the Corps in close liaison with the Guards. -This heavy work fell upon the 6th Highland Light Infantry aided by -three tanks, and they got well forward, but the 7th Highland Light -Infantry on their left were badly held up by thick wire and -impossible conditions. The 7th Scottish Rifles in the north had more -success, however, and they now worked south, which gave invaluable -help to their comrades in that quarter. Before midday all the ground -east of the Canal attacked by the 156th Brigade, between the -Mœuvres-Graincourt Road and the Bapaume-Cambrai Road, was in the -possession of the Scottish infantry. - -{216} - -On the left of the Fifty-second Division the Sixty-third had got off -in excellent style, with the 190th Brigade leading, and the 188th -immediately behind it. They were encouraged by constant good news -from the north, where the Fourth Canadians were in Bourlon Wood. In -front of the Sixty-third Division lay an important point called the -Factory, an old bone of contention in the days of the Cambrai battle -of 1917. This point was reached by the Anson Battalion, but they -were driven out of it again, and the Germans put in a heavy garrison. -It was then methodically bombarded, and shortly after 4 o'clock it -was again attacked by the 188th Brigade with complete success, 11 -guns and many prisoners being taken. Shortly afterwards both -Graincourt and Anneux were overrun by the advancing waves of the -Sixty-third Division. About 5 o'clock the Fifty-seventh Division was -ordered up to take the place of the Sixty-third, moving round their -north flank with the intention of attacking Cantaing. The German -resistance had very much stiffened, however, and there was a menace -of counter-attack, so that this final movement did not fully develop. -The night fell with the 171st and 172nd Brigades in the advanced line -which represented the farthest east of the Sixty-third Division. A -thousand prisoners were taken during the day. Of the eleven tanks -employed no less than nine were knocked out by the German fire--a -proportion which shows how great the risks are which are taken by the -brave men who form the crews. Each had done splendid work before it -met its fate, and ever more and more the infantry learned, when at -the last extremity before impassable wire and death-dealing trenches, -to look behind them {217} in the hope of catching sight of one of -these lumbering ironclad monsters who had so often been their -Salvation. - -On the morning of September 28 the two brigades of the Fifty-seventh -Division were ordered to continue their advance and to force the -passage of the Canal de l'Escaut, while the Sixty-third were to -follow up and exploit any success which was gained. The immediate -task of the 171st Brigade was to clear the ground between Anneux and -Fontaine, and to establish touch with the Canadians on their left. -This they had done while the day was still young. From about midday, -however, the attack slowed up in this section of the line. The -Marcoing position was very strong, and it held the 171st Brigade. By -2 o'clock a small force from the Fifty-seventh Division had got -across the Canal, and at about the same hour the Drake Battalion of -the 189th Brigade advanced upon Cantaing. The orders were to push on -and cross the Canal, thrusting forward as far as was possible, while -the cavalry were held in leash at the south end of La Folie Wood. It -was soon clear, however, that the line of the canal and river could -not be easily rushed, for all the possible crossings were swept by a -deadly fire. The 171st Brigade was held under fire upon the spur -east of Fontaine, and the Canadians on the left had not yet made good -the Marcoing line. Two battalions of the 189th Brigade, the Drake -and Hood, were in Folie Wood, endeavouring to force a crossing, but -the night fell before it could be accomplished. Before morning two -companies of Drakes had established posts upon the farther side, -others getting across the river as well, over a broken bridge. -Farther to the right the Sixth Corps had {218} three companies of the -Second Division also across the Canal. A thousand more prisoners had -been taken during the day. - -On September 29 all three brigades of the Sixty-third Division were -across the Canal. Before mid-day the Fifty-seventh Division had -managed to clear the Marcoing line from the Bapaume-Cambrai Road to -the Canal. The men were getting terribly worn, but it was reckoned -that the Germans were even more so and that, at all costs, the -long-drawn fight should continue. Therefore on September 30 both the -Fifty-seventh and Sixty-third Divisions made some advance east of the -Canal de l'Escaut. On October 1 the Fifty-seventh Division pushed -out to the north and north-east of Proville, but the advance was not -successful. Later in the day there was a renewed advance, but again -it was not pushed, and did not get very far. The nearest enemy post, -the Faubourg de Paris, was strongly held, and there were several -small counter-attacks, one of which overwhelmed a British trench -containing 40 men and 2 machine-guns. There followed a considerable -pause while fresh dispositions and reorganisations were made along -the whole line of the Army. These changes included very radical -alterations in the Seventeenth Corps, which lost the Fifty-second -Division, while it was strengthened by the addition of the Nineteenth -(Jeffreys), the Twenty-fourth (Daly), and the Sixty-first (Duncan). -With this strong reinforcement General Fergusson turned with -confidence to his next task. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 4, Oct. 8.] - -We shall now return to the operations of the rest of Byng's Third -Army from the time that they fairly {219} settled down to the -crossing of the Escaut Canal, and the final occupation of the whole -of the Hindenburg Line. We shall begin as before with Shute's Fifth -Corps on the right. The attack of this Corps on October 4 was -largely dependent upon the success of the Second American Corps, and -as this was only partial some modifications had to be made. The -immediate result of the American operations was that Morland's -Thirteenth Corps, which was on their left and on the right of the -Fifth Corps, had to undertake an advance against Le Catelet and Gouy -on October 3. During this movement the Fiftieth Division on the left -of Morland's Corps was to take possession of the high ground 1500 -yards north of Le Catelet, and were then to be relieved by the Welsh -Division of the Fifth Corps. This was duly carried out by the -evening of October 4. The rôle of the Welsh Division was afterwards -to attack northwards across the front of the Fifth Corps so as to -clear the Hindenburg Line as far north as Rancourt Farm. It was -found, however, on October 5 that as a result of the operations of -the Fourth Army the enemy had withdrawn and crossings were effected -by the Twenty-first and Thirty-third Divisions along the whole Corps -front, while the Welshmen east of Vandhuile found that the line to -the north of them had been abandoned. They pushed on, therefore, and -took possession of the Nauroy-Le Catelet line, finishing up to the -east of the village of Aubencheul, while the 64th Brigade of the -Twenty-first Division moved forward and occupied the same line on -their left. So far all had gone splendidly, but it was soon found -that the enemy's retreat was not unlimited, for the -Masnières-Beaurevoir line was strongly held, and the {220} Welsh -Division on October 6 was unable to penetrate it, though the -Twenty-first gained a limited footing at one point, which gave good -hopes for the future. After a day of reorganisation the attack was -vigorously resumed on October 8, the objectives being Malincourt on -the right and Walincourt on the left. The troops were now in green -and virgin country unscarred by any previous battles, and a most -pleasant contrast to that terrible wilderness in which they had -marched and fought so long. The attack of October 8 was made by -night, the zero hour being 1 o'clock in the morning. All three -brigades of the Welsh Division were concerned in the advance on the -right, and all had heavy fighting and some setbacks, but persevered -with fine valour, and succeeded before evening in piercing the -Beaurevoir line, driving in the strong German rearguards and -establishing their final position to the east of Malincourt. The -Twenty-first Division on the left also came away with great dash and -made rapid progress in their moonlight advance. By dawn most of the -high ground in front of them, including Angles Château and Hurtebise -Farm, had been taken and the 62nd Reserve Brigade moved forward to -continue the operation, which resulted in the capture of the whole -Beaurevoir line on that front. Before evening, after several -temporary checks, the Twenty-first Division had reached a line 500 -yards west of Walincourt, though the left of their advance had not -passed the Sargrenon River. Nearly 1000 Germans were taken during -this long day of battle. That night the Seventeenth Division took -over from the Twenty-first, while the Thirty-third moved through the -ranks of the Thirty-eighth, so as to be all {221} ready for a -continuation of the pressure in the morning. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 8.] - -On this October 8, when the enemy was reported to be withdrawing from -the front of the Fifth and Fourth Corps, and it was probable that the -movement would spread across the face of the Sixth and Seventeenth -Corps, it was very necessary, if possible, to catch them in the very -act. An attack was therefore ordered in which the Third Division to -the south should move, supported by the Guards, upon Wambaix, while -the Seventeenth Corps should take Niergnies as its general objective. -The Sixty-third Division made the actual attack on a front of about a -mile, with seven tanks in the van. The 188th Brigade on the right -had Niergnies in front of it, approaching it from the north-east, -while one battalion of the 189th Brigade attacked from the south, the -rest forming a protective flank. The Fifty-seventh Division was at -the same time to make a subsidiary attack. The advance started at -4.30, but by 6.30 the Fifty-seventh Division had made little -progress, its tank being ditched and its 170th Brigade held up by an -obstinate trench. By 8 o'clock the line had got forward, and all the -first objectives were gained, but the Germans were still firing from -the edge of the Faubourg de Paris. A little later a very spirited -counter-attack was launched by the enemy from the direction of -Awoingt, which was supported by seven British-made tanks, captured in -the March operations. For a time the 188th Brigade and the Second -Division on the right were thrown back, but by 10 o'clock they were -going forward once again, and at that hour, or shortly afterwards, a -very welcome pigeon message arrived from the Hoods of the 189th -Brigade to say that they were {222} through Niergnies. By the late -afternoon every objective had been captured, but the evening saw -another strong German advance which struck upon the right of the -Seventeenth Corps and upon the front of the Second Division. The -Naval men stood fast, however, and not only cleared their own front, -but by their enfilade fire were of great assistance to their -neighbours in the south. Nearly a thousand prisoners had been -captured during the day, and the little flags had moved eastwards -once more upon the war maps. - -[Sidenote: Oct 9, Oct. 10-11.] - -On October 9 the troops were going forward shortly after dawn. It -was soon found that the Germans had retreated, leaving only a few -devoted machine-guns to impede the pursuit. Gard Wood and Clary were -occupied by the Thirty-third Division, who came on so rapidly that -they picked up a battery of field-guns near the village and captured -the officers drinking in an estaminet, quite unconscious that their -enemy was upon them. Bertry was occupied by the 19th Brigade, and -before evening Troisvilles had also been captured. On the left -without any opposition at all, the 51st Brigade of the Seventeenth -Division passed through Malincourt, Selvigny, and Caullery. The -German machine-guns made some show at Montigny, but the place was -soon occupied, as was Tronquoy. There was no barrage this day in -front of the Fifth Corps, and the advance was one long cross-country -chase of six or seven miles, with an occasional skirmish. Early on -the morning of October 10, the Thirty-third Division crossed the -Inchy-Le Cateau Road, and with the mention of the latter name that -huge circle seemed at last to be nearing completion, the line of -which had begun to {223} describe its strange curve in August 1914. -The soldiers knew that the graves of their comrades were at last -within their reach. The Seventeenth Division on this day flowed -through Audencourt and Inchy, and the 7th East Yorkshires actually -got up to Neuvilly in a fine attack, but had to be withdrawn. The -Selle River in its shallow valley lay right across the Corps front, -and this, as was clear from the increasing artillery fire, marked the -new German front. Here we may leave the Fifth Corps while we hark -back to bring up their comrades of the Third Army. On the evening of -October 11, the situation was that the Thirty-third Division on the -right had established one strong post upon the farther river bank, -the Seventeenth on the left were lining the western bank of the -Selle, while the enemy were reported to be holding the line of the Le -Cateau-Solesmes railway in strength, and especially the village of -Neuvilly to the east of the river. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 5-10.] - -Turning now to Harper's Fourth Corps on the left, and harking back to -October 5, it became evident on that morning that the enemy was -withdrawing from that point, as a result of the success of -Rawlinson's Army to the south, and even more so to the possession of -Crevecœur by Russell's New Zealanders. The retreat was closely -followed by the Thirty-seventh and the New Zealand Divisions, and -Vaucelles, with a portion of the Masnières line south of -Crevecœur, was occupied without resistance. The Masnières line -was still strongly held, though the glow of great fires in the east -at night seemed to proclaim a coming retreat. October 6 and 7 were -spent in preparing for a great attack upon the 8th, in which it was -hoped that the Masnières line would be forced. {224} This assault -made by the Thirty-seventh and New Zealanders was completely -successful, in spite of belts of wire which were often thirty yards -wide and had to be crossed in the dim light of dawn. There was hard -fighting round Briseaux Wood, but everywhere the attack prevailed and -the Germans were beaten out of their positions. Lesdin fell to the -New Zealanders and Rifle Brigade. Once the enemy tanks advanced, and -there was a short check, but the forward movement was soon resumed. -Over 2100 prisoners were taken in this successful day. - -On the 9th and 10th the advance was as swift and successful as in the -case of the Fifth Corps already described. The Thirty-seventh -occupied Caudry, Bethencourt, and Viesly, while the New Zealanders, -men of Otago and Canterbury, took Esnes, and finally crossed the -Cambrai-Le Cateau Road. Up to now this district of France might have -been a land without inhabitants, a mere stage for the drama of war; -but now considerable numbers of the French civilians were liberated, -no less than 2500 at Caudry, all with the same tales of German -bullying and violence. In the early morning, the Thirty-seventh and -their comrades of New Zealand were opposite the Selle River and had -passed some elements across on each side of Biastre. We may leave -them here on the eve of the battle of the Selle River and extend our -view so as to take in the work of the Sixth Corps to the north of -them. - -In the case of Haldane's Sixth Corps there was a general German -withdrawal on October 5, which did not prevent a very firm front -being shown upon the general line which was held on October 8. The -attack upon that day was made by the 9th Brigade {225} of the Third -Division on the right, and by the 99th Brigade of the Second Division -on the left. The village of Seranvillers was the immediate objective -of the 9th Brigade, which was strengthened by the 2nd Suffolk -Battalion. Both the 9th and 99th Brigades got well forward at the -start, but had very hard fighting, and at one time were driven back -by a German counter-attack supported by tanks. The village had been -taken, but the cellars were still full of Germans. La Targatte, the -other village on the front, repulsed two attacks and was vigorously -defended, the 2nd Suffolk having heavy losses in front of it. Later -in the day, however, it was taken by a fine advance of the 8th Royal -Lancasters and the 1st Gordons of the 76th Brigade. On the left -flank both the 99th Brigade and the Sixty-third Division upon their -left had encountered strong opposition from the village of Forenville -and had suffered from the counter-attack already mentioned, but three -of the German tanks were destroyed, and the advance was resumed with -the result that before evening Forenville had been taken, and the -whole line of the original objective secured. It was only attained, -however, after a day of very desperate battle and heavy losses. -During the evening the Guards came up, with their 1st and 2nd -Brigades in the line, and early in the morning, supported by the fire -of nine brigades of field artillery, they reached the line of railway -along the whole Corps front, and took the village of Wambaix. News -from the north now showed that the enemy was retreating upon a broad -front and in no half-hearted manner. Patrols of the Seventeenth -Corps were reported to have passed through Cambrai, while north of -that the {226} troops of the First Army had crossed the canal at -Ramillies with little opposition. Previous experience had shown that -such a retreat would certainly be conducted in an orderly fashion, -and would be covered by rearguards composed mainly of machine-gun -units. The main thing, however, was to sustain the pressure and keep -as close to the retiring masses as possible. Led by that veteran -body, the Oxfordshire Hussars, acting as advanced scouts, the -infantry of the Sixth Corps hurried forward in pursuit with much the -same general experience as the two Corps on their right. Estourmel, -Igniel, and Boistrancourt marked the main line of the advance, and -were occupied by the Guards, who were in touch with the New -Zealanders of the Fourth Corps on their right and with the -Twenty-fourth Division of the Seventeenth Corps on their left. On -October 10 the Guards were through St. Hilaire, and up to St. Vaast, -which latter village was cleared after a stiff local skirmish on -October 11. The Germans still seemed inclined to fight in this -quarter to the west of the Selle River, especially at St. Aubert and -Solesmes. They were brushed aside, however, and on October 13 the -Guards gained that portion of St. Python which is west of the Selle, -a stream about thirty feet across and of some depth. It was evident -that an organised full-scale attack would have to be made at this -point, so the Sixth Corps waited for the general signal. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 9.] - -Returning to the Seventeenth Corps: On the morning of October 9 the -attack was renewed by Daly's Twenty-fourth Division, a unit which has -always been in the heart of the fighting in the past, and now was in -the line once more. It was a great day, {227} for early in the -morning, as is recorded elsewhere, the Canadians and the -Fifty-seventh Division had entered Cambrai. The situation seemed -fluid, and the enemy disorganised, so the 6th Dragoon Guards were -ordered forward to work towards Cagnoncles, while the 72nd Brigade, -having taken Awoingt, gave way to the 73rd Brigade, who advanced -towards Cauroir and west of Romilly. The Germans, however, were in a -strong line of rifle-pits behind triple wire, so that the cavalry -could gain no ground. The infantry were also unable to get forward -very far on that day, but evening saw them in close touch with the -German covering rearguards, the Twenty-fourth Division touching the -Guards on the right, the Canadians on the left. In the morning of -October 10 the screen had dissolved and the leading lines of the -Seventeenth Corps, consisting of the 17th Brigade, were soon to the -east of Cagnoncles, which fell to the 7th Northamptons, while the -Dragoon Guards were pushing ahead once more. Rieux and Avesnes were -both taken by the Twenty-fourth Division during the day, and before -evening the line was well to the east of Cambrai, General Daly -pushing the advance with great vigour. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 11.] - -On October 11 it was found that the Germans were in strength and -apparently meant to make a serious stand. At about ten o'clock they -counter-attacked with tanks, and pushed back both the Canadians on -the left and the Twenty-fourth Division on the right. The former had -taken Iwuy in the morning. No further advance was made during the -day, but general orders were issued that the way should be cleared up -to the Selle River, and that the high ground over the river should be -secured in order {228} to safeguard the crossings. On October 12 the -Canadian Corps on the left was drawn out of the line, and the -Seventeenth Corps found themselves with the Forty-eighth Division of -the Twenty-second Corps as their northern neighbours. On this day -the Germans again began to retreat, and the Corps front was advanced -down to the Selle River, between Haussy and Saulzoir. There was -hardly any opposition. All day the Twenty-fourth Division was -advancing with the Forty-ninth on their left and the Guards on their -right. That evening the 17th Brigade of the Twenty-fourth Division -made progress over the river, entering Montrecourt and securing the -undamaged bridge. The posts on the farther side were swept by -machine-gun fire and driven back next morning, that portion of the -bank being commanded by rising ground on the east. - -We have thus traced all four Corps of the Third Army from the date -August 21, when it started from the line of Albert, until October 13, -when it found itself after seven weeks of immense and continuous -exertion and of uninterrupted victory upon the western bank of the -Selle. In the compressed narrative of this chronicle it might seem -no more complex than the forward movement of pieces upon a board, but -no detailed account could ever make real the problems, the anxiety, -the organisation, the unwearied heroic efforts which such an advance -must entail when the great German army, now composed of veterans -deeply skilled in every wile of modern warfare, were beaten out of -position after position, and could find no safe refuge anywhere from -the nation whose military weakness had for so long been its standing -jest. - - - - -{229} - -CHAPTER IX - -OPERATIONS OF BYNG'S THIRD ARMY - -From the Battle of the Selle, October 12, to the end - -The battle of the Selle River--Reversion to open warfare--The valour -of Lancashire--Haig's incessant blows--Weakening of the German -morale--The battle of Mormal Forest--New Zealanders and the mediaeval -fortress--Capture of the great forest--The Sambre bridged---A grand -Division--Advance of Fergusson's Seventeenth Corps--The last phase. - - -The River Selle is a small stream, only thirty feet across but of -some depth, and it ran right athwart the course of the Army, with -every indication that the enemy had built up a line of resistance -behind it. How far this was a strong rearguard or how far it was a -do-or-die line of battle could only be determined by actual assault. -The river runs through swampy meadows from Neuvilly past Biastre to -Solesmes. On the far bank the ground slopes up uniformly to a -hog-backed ridge, with a road and railway running between Neuvilly -and Solesmes, rather more than half-way up the slope. The railway -joined other lines south of the latter town, forming a triangular -embankment of great strength strongly defended by machine-guns, as -was the whole railway line and the string of villages across the Army -front, which was the northern prolongation of that described -previously. {230} It was a position of great natural strength, made -more awkward by the presence of civilians in the villages, and by a -damming of the river which broadened it in parts into a lake. The -first move of General Byng was to endeavour to seize the high ground -on the east of the river, so as to make a strong point which would -cover the bridge-building operations. We shall describe the -successive operations from the south or right, beginning with Shute's -Fifth Corps, still working in close liaison with Morland's Thirteenth -Corps on the right, the flank unit of the Fourth Army. It may be -premised that the warfare from now onwards was very different from -that which had preceded the capture of the great German lines. The -trench, the bomb, and the wire all played subsidiary parts. An -officer of pre-war Aldershot experience, or even the great Duke -himself with his Peninsular prejudices, would have found himself able -to appreciate the situation. That great shade, could he have ridden -Copenhagen in the heart of this wonderful army, would have seen, as -of yore, shells which burst over the enemy's position; he would have -seen cavalry scouts who were the advanced posts of the marching army; -he would have seen lines of skirmishers behind them; he would have -seen mounted officers who carried personal reports; and he would have -seen columns of route marching in fours down every road, and breaking -up into small clumps of artillery formation as they came under fire. -All this would have been familiar, and all this he would have seen -had he been present in these later phases of the great war. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 12.] - -The attack was launched at 5 A.M. on October 12, when the advanced -guard of the Thirty-third and {231} Seventeenth Divisions, under -Generals Pinney and Robertson, advanced upon the high ground which -faced them. They were working in close liaison with the -Thirty-seventh on the left, and with the Sixty-sixth Lancashire -Territorials on the right, these being the flank units of the Fourth -and Thirteenth Corps respectively. The line of the advance was to -the north of Montay, and it went very well at first, so that by 7.45 -Pinney's men were far forward and consolidating on the left, though -on the right they were unable to penetrate beyond the railway line. -The attack of the Seventeenth on the left reached the high ground -1000 yards north-east of Neuvilly, but on the south side of that -village could not get past the line of the Montay-Neuvilly Road, -where the 9th West Ridings of the 52nd Brigade were heavily engaged. -Neuvilly was gained, but while the troops were mopping it up a strong -German counter-attack drove down from the Amerval direction, dashed -up against the left of Pinney's Division and threw it back to the -line of the railway. So great was the pressure and so continuous, -that the Thirty-third could not hold any of its gains, and found -itself in the afternoon on the west of the Selle River once more, -save for the right-hand battalion, who held tight all day along the -line of the road between the railway and the river. - -The Seventeenth Division on the high ground north-east of Neuvilly -was now in a very dangerous position, as the Thirty-seventh had not -come up on its left, so that both its flanks were in the air. The -12th Manchesters stood firm, however, with little support, until -about 3 P.M., when a creeping barrage with an infantry attack behind -it drove them west {232} of the railway, with serious losses, to a -point 200 yards east of the river. The result was that the final -line, when night fell upon this long and trying day, was across the -river at both extreme flanks, but west of the river in the middle. - -From the point of view of the Fourth Corps on the left the 12th had -not been a very satisfactory day either. The Thirty-seventh had -reached the crest of the opposite hill, but the New Zealanders on -their left had not taken Bellevue, while Neuvilly on the right had -never been thoroughly cleared. About 5 P.M. the German -counter-attack, made in four waves, came down upon the -Thirty-seventh, supported by flank fire from both villages. It -reached Neuvilly in the Seventeenth Division sector, and then turned -right so as to enfilade the Thirty-seventh, with the result that the -latter were forced to evacuate both the hill and the railway line, -but still held on to the east bank of the river, where a steep -escarpment gave some protection. Thus ended this weary day, which -had not involved the Sixth Corps on the north, but had exposed both -the southern Corps of the Third Army to heavy losses with barren -results. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 20.] - -A week now elapsed, which was marked by very heavy artillery work on -both sides, the Germans endeavouring to prevent the British from -assembling, while the British tried to break down the machine-gun -nests and strong points which faced them, especially in Neuvilly. -There were several daring minor engagements in which patrols -endeavoured to widen or strengthen the front, so keen being the -contest that sometimes posts were taken and retaken several times in -one night. There was, it must be admitted, no obvious local sign of -any failure in German {233} morale. It was not until October 20 that -the offensive was resumed upon a large scale by the Fifth and Fourth -Corps, in conjunction with a full-dress attack by the whole of the -Fourth Army in the south. - -The Fifth Corps advanced with Cubitt's Thirty-eighth Welsh on the -right, and the Seventeenth Division on the left. Neither line had -far to go before clashing with the enemy, for the outposts were -almost touching each other. The attack began in the dark at 2 in the -morning, the British having indulged in previous heavy shoots at -night, in the hope, which was justified by the result, that the real -barrage would be taken as being of a similar temporary nature. The -Welshmen had a desperate experience at first, a quarry, a farm, and -the old railway embankment all forming difficult obstacles. In the -case of the quarry, every man of the original storming party became a -casualty, but it was taken by their successors. The rain was heavy, -the slopes slippery, the mud deep, and the whole of the conditions -about as bad as they could be, which was the more serious as the -tanks were put out of action thereby. - -The 50th Brigade of the Seventeenth Division, with the 7th East Yorks -and 6th Dorsets in the lead, had been launched upon Neuvilly with -instructions to avoid a frontal attack, but to endeavour to get round -to north and south so as to pinch it out; while the guns bombarded it -and kept the machine-gunners in their lairs. South of the village -the attack advanced rapidly through the mirk of a most inclement -night. The first lines of machine-guns were overrun and destroyed. -The wave of men then fought their way through some wire, and got as -far {234} as the embankment, which was thickly garnished with light -artillery. Before dawn the 10th West Yorkshires closed in upon -Neuvilly, and in spite of several obstinate machine-guns cleared the -place and took the survivors prisoners, most of them being dragged -out of cellars. Pushing on, the Seventeenth Division after several -vicissitudes captured the village of Amerval, but were pushed out of -it again by a counter-attack, finally regaining it after dark. The -7th Borders took this village, but lost both their commander and -their adjutant in doing so. The Thirty-eighth had kept its line all -through, so that by evening the whole objective was practically in -the hands of the British after a very prolonged and stubborn fight, -in the course of which the Corps had taken four guns and 600 -prisoners. - -Meanwhile Harper's Fourth Corps on the left had also gone forward at -2 A.M., their objective being the high ground to the south of -Solesmes. The plan was that the Sixth Corps should take the ground -to the north of the village, but the whole operations were made very -difficult by the knowledge that the civilian inhabitants were still -there, and that the guns had therefore to be used sparingly. When -once the points on both sides had been occupied it was hoped that the -Sixty-second Division of the Sixth Corps would be able to capture the -place. The advance of the Fourth Corps was made with the Fifth -Division on the right and the Forty-second on the left. The line of -the railway and the high ground east of it were successively -occupied, though the fire was heavy and the finest qualities were -needed in the soldiers who breasted the hill with lines of -machine-guns flashing at them from the {235} hawthorn hedges of the -embankment. In the attack upon the hamlet of Marou the 127th Brigade -of the Forty-second Division showed the usual Lancastrian gallantry. -There are no finer, tougher soldiers in the world, either in attack -or defence, than these North Countrymen. On one occasion on this -day, a company of the 5th Manchesters being pinned down, it was -essential to convey news of their position to their supports. Four -volunteers started in succession across the open bullet-swept plain, -and all four were shot down. None the less Private Wilkinson -volunteered as the fifth and actually got through unscathed and saved -the situation. For this and other exertions during the day he -received the Victoria Cross. The 1st and 3rd Guards Brigade had gone -forward on the front of the Sixth Corps, with the 2nd Brigade in -immediate support, and these magnificent troops, taking St. Python in -their stride, beat down all opposition and by 7.30 were in their -appointed place to the north of the village. The two flanks being -thus secured, the Sixty-second went in between them with their usual -vigour and, according to plan, assaulted the place from the west, -fighting their way into it and out at the other side, the 186th -Brigade taking the village while the 185th passed through it for a -fresh advance. The 2/4 York and Lancaster aided in mopping up the -village, which entailed some very severe fighting from house to -house, as dangerous often as entering a cave in which lurks some -wounded beast of prey. It was on this occasion that Corporal Daykins -won his Cross, leading the twelve men, who were the only survivors of -his platoon, with that mixture of wile and courage which is the ideal -combination. He not only cleared {236} the front of his own platoon, -but perceiving that his neighbours were held up he started out alone -to their assistance, with such success that he brought back a -machine-gun and 25 more prisoners as the prize of his own unaided -effort. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 21-23.] - -The 3rd Guards Brigade on the extreme left attempting to make good -the Solesmes-Valenciennes Road, were checked for a time by very heavy -fire, but overcame the difficulty, and soon the Guards had their full -objective, and were in touch with the Nineteenth Division on the -flank of the Seventeenth Corps on their left at Maison Blanche. The -Forty-second Division on the right had got well forward, but was -checked at last on the line of the Beart brook, which caused the -Sixty-second on their left to throw out a defensive flank and put -limits to their advance. The Fifth Division on the extreme right had -also been held, and were finally driven off the high ground south of -Marou by a sharp counter-stroke of the enemy. By evening the Fifth -and Forty-second had secured almost their full objectives, the -Manchester battalions having borne the brunt of the fighting. The -Fourth Corps had taken over 1000 prisoners. The Sixth Corps had also -gone to its full limit, the Guards and Sixty-second having cleared -everything in front of them and sent back 700 prisoners. It had been -a most successful day; but the hardest work had fallen upon the -Fourth Corps, both divisions having been badly knocked about. It was -determined to spend a day therefore in consolidating the gains, and -to continue the advance on October 23. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 23.] - -On that date the Fifth Corps on the right went forward once again, -with the Thirty-third Division {237} on the right and the -Twenty-first on the left. If we attempt to describe the action from -the broad point of view of the whole Corps front, the order of battle -from the right was the Thirty-third, Twenty-first, Fifth, -Forty-second, Third, and Second. On the front of the Sixth Corps -there was a sudden outburst of artillery fire during the assembly of -the troops, which unhappily caught the Third Division and caused many -casualties. It is a hard test even for the most veteran troops to be -under a hurricane of shells in the dark and cold of an autumn night, -but the men of the Iron Division came into the battle as blithely as -ever. The Harpies River, and a whole screen of villages and of -woods, with the great Forest of Mormal at their back, were the -immediate obstacles which confronted the Army. On the right the -village of Forest was soon secured, though an obstinate pocket held -out for some time to the north-east of it. The enemy in this quarter -could be seen retiring in small parties towards Vendegies and the -wood near that village. The Thirty-third Division on the flank had a -greater volume of fire to contend with and was rather slower than the -Twenty-first, which never halted until it was close to Vendegies, -reaching it at 10 A.M. The defence was thickening, however, and both -divisions had very heavy going in the afternoon, though the 19th -Brigade of the Thirty-third Division fought its way along the north -of Vendegies Wood, and reached its allotted line, while the 98th -Brigade was held up by the fire from Bousies. As the farther line -was reached the two reserve brigades of each division--the 62nd and -the 100th Brigades--were pushed up to take the burden from those who -{238} were wearied out by the long and strenuous day. Nearly 800 -prisoners had fallen to the Fifth Corps. - -The Fourth Corps had the preliminary task of clearing the south side -of the St. Georges River, and taking the village of Beaurain. This -was allotted to the Fifth and Forty-second Divisions, but the leading -brigade of the former was caught in the artillery attack already -alluded to, with the result that it sustained losses which seriously -crippled it. None the less the attack started up to time and was -successfully carried out, save that Beaurain could not be cleared--a -fact which necessitated a change in barrage, no easy matter after a -great action is launched. The 125th Lancashire Fusilier Brigade of -the Forty-second Division did particularly fine work. The -Thirty-seventh Division and the New Zealanders, Canterbury and Otago -in the van, had now passed through the ranks of their comrades, and -as there were signs of German disorganisation the pressure was -strenuously maintained. As a result the New Zealanders captured the -crossings over the Ecaillon River before they could be destroyed, and -reached the edge of Le Quesnoy, while the Thirty-seventh seized -Ghissignies with its bridge. It was a great day's work for Harper's -Corps. - -On the left the Third and Second Divisions had advanced on -single-brigade fronts, the 76th and 5th being in the lead. The 1st -Gordons of the 76th advancing rapidly, cleared the village of -Romeries after a very sharp tussle. A battalion commander and 600 -men were taken. The rest of the brigade then passed through it and -carried the line forward. It was evident this day that the Germans, -though hard in patches, were really becoming demoralised {239} under -the pounding of the British, and that they had lost all stomach for -the fray. Several well-placed machine-guns were abandoned by their -crews without a shot being fired, and serious opposition seemed at -places to be at an end. Both the 8th Royal Lancasters and the 2nd -Suffolks went through every defence like paper. The 8th Brigade then -took up the running, and the 2nd Royal Scots carried Vertain with 200 -more prisoners, while the 1st Scots Fusiliers took Escarmain also -with 200 Germans. Patrols were sent forward as far as the Ecaillon -River and few of the enemy appeared to be left upon the southern bank. - -Meanwhile the 5th Brigade on the left had passed to the north of -Vertain and swept forward, keeping level with the Nineteenth Division -on their left. They co-operated in the capture of Escarmain, and the -rest of the Second Division made its way through Capelle, and lined -the Capelle-St. Martin Road, the latter village having been taken by -the Nineteenth Division. So demoralised did the Germans appear on -this flank, with their gun-teams all out in the open ready to limber -up, that it appeared as if unlimited progress could be made by -Haldane's Corps, but it was known that the enemy were in a sterner -mood to the south and that the Fourth and Fifth Corps, though -victorious, had no assurance of an easy advance. It was determined -therefore to renew the battle next morning before daylight. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 24.] - -At that hour the Thirty-third and Twenty-first Divisions again went -forward on the right, but the opposition in this quarter was still -very stiff. Poix du Nord was captured by the Twenty-first {240} and -some 3000 inhabitants were found cowering in the cellars. -Englefontaine was at the same time attacked by the 100th Brigade of -the Thirty-third Division, but the machine-guns were busy and it was -some time before they could get a lodgment. The Twenty-first was at -the same time held up on the road north of the village. About 4 P.M. -the line moved forward again behind a fresh barrage, that refreshing -shower which revives the exhausted infantry. The men of the 100th -Brigade got half-way through Englefontaine and remained there at -close grips with their tenacious adversaries, while the Twenty-first -fought their way forward to the south-east of Ghissignies, where they -were again pulled up. The resistance on this southern section of the -Corps front was certainly very different from that experienced by -Haldane's Corps in the left flank. Meanwhile the Fourth and Sixth -Corps were waiting for the Fourth Army and the Fifth Corps to swing -into line, but they made a short forward movement on October 24, the -Third Division passing through Ruesnes, while the New Zealanders on -their right kept pace with them. Both the Fifth Corps on the right -and the Seventeenth Corps on the left were for the time rather behind -the general line, so that a long defensive flank had to be formed by -each of the Corps between them. The Sixty-first Division had come in -on the right of the Seventeenth Corps, but it had at once run into a -sharp attack which drove it for the time out of -Vendegies-sur-Ecaillon. During this day some attempt was made by the -Sixth Corps to push cavalry through, but every horse of two strong -patrols of Oxfordshire Hussars was shot, so that it was impossible to -persevere. - -{241} - -The village of Englefontaine had not yet been cleared, so after a -breathing-space of one day the Thirty-third Division attacked once -more, while its neighbour to the south, the Eighteenth Division, -co-operated by advancing upon Mount Carmel. This attempt was -entirely successful, the 100th Brigade flooding over the village and -capturing 450 prisoners. The Twenty-first Division at the same time -advanced its line on the north. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 4.] - -The Army had now outrun its communications and a halt was necessary. -It was Haig's policy, however, to continue raining down hammer blows -upon his reeling antagonist, so that all was ready for a big fresh -advance on November 4, which should be on an immense scale, involving -the fronts of the Fourth, Third, and First Armies. - -The immediate objective in front of the right of the Third Army was -the formidable bulk of the Mormal Forest, after which the action may -well be named. The advance on the front of the Fifth Corps was made -by the Thirty-eighth Welsh on the right and the Seventeenth Division -on the left, each brigade succeeding the other, as the various -objectives were reached. The edge of the Forest was strongly held, -but when once it had been penetrated the progress along the sides was -rapid and the enemy freely surrendered. So fair were the prospects -that the troops were ordered not to confine themselves to the -allotted objectives but to push on as far as they could. The -ultimate aim was to gain a passage over the Sambre, though this -seemed to be more than one day's work could possibly accomplish. - -The Thirty-eighth Division attained its full objectives, but the -Seventeenth met with a lively {242} resistance in Locquignol, and was -held up for a time. The weather had broken and the rain was falling, -but in spite of the depressing surroundings the fighting line pressed -on. The 13th Welsh Regiment moving forward with great dash pushed -patrols into Barbaras, where many rifles scattered over the ground -pointed to the German demoralisation. All night the Welshmen pushed -forward, and Berlaimont was taken in the early morning. At the same -hour the Seventeenth Division, having overcome their difficulties, -were nearly as far forward on their left. The Forest had been -expected to form a greater obstacle than was really the case, for -when once it was entered it was found that the clearings were so -extensive that save in patches it was hardly an obstacle at all. - -The Fourth Corps had gone forward on November 4 with the -Thirty-seventh Division on the right and the New Zealanders on the -left. The latter were to advance upon either side of Le Quesnoy, -which was to be encircled and taken. The town, which was an -old-fashioned walled fortress, was not shelled on account of the -inhabitants, but smoke- and oil-drums were fired on to the ramparts. - -The attack was a complete success and swept over every obstacle -without a check, save for some short delay caused by a strong point -missed by the barrage in front of the Thirty-seventh Division. -Louvignies and Jolimetz were taken by the Thirty-seventh, which -pushed on to establish itself within the Forest. The New Zealanders -left Hart's Brigade to invest Le Quesnoy and also advanced rapidly -into the Forest, capturing many prisoners and guns. Le Quesnoy was -now completely isolated, but the ancient walls and gateways were -strongly defended by all modern {243} devices, and a machine-gun -clattered through the slit where a bow may once have been bent. An -officer with a flag of truce got no response. An aeroplane was then -sent over, which dropped the message that our troops were in the -Forest far to the east, and that a surrender would be the wisest -course. The enemy, however, would have none of it. A forlorn hope -of New Zealanders then approached with a scaling-ladder in the good -old style, and swarmed up the walls. There was only one ladder and -three successive walls, but in some miraculous fashion the whole of -the 4th New Zealand Battalion reached the top of the rampart, with -the loss of one man. This was accomplished by sweeping the walls -round with such a fire that the defenders could not even peep over. -On seeing that they had reached the rampart the German commander at -last hoisted the white flag. The garrison consisted of about 1000 -men. - -The Sixth Corps advanced with the Sixty-second on the right and the -Guards on the left, each on a two-brigade front. Both divisions went -forward from the beginning without a hitch, prisoners streaming back. -As they advanced, however, they came into heavy machine-gun fire from -the orchards south-west of Frasnoy and south of Wargnies, where for a -time the Guards were held up. The country here was very enclosed and -thickly hedged, which made progress slow. By evening, however, the -objectives had been reached, the orchards cleared, with Frasnoy, -Preux-au-Sart, and 1000 prisoners to show for their day's work. -Altogether this battle of Mormal Forest had been a day of triumph for -the Third Army, and especially for the Fourth Corps in the centre. -It was a great victory, in which on this front alone some {244} 7000 -prisoners and about 100 guns were taken, while the Germans had been -beaten, with great loss, out of a position which, in their old form, -they would have held for a month. So complete was the German -break-up that several batteries were taken by the Fourth Corps, with -horses, mounted officers, and all complete, and were then despatched -in full working order to the rear. When one recalls how their papers -and critics had clamoured for open warfare against the untrained -British levies the result must have surprised them. At the end of -the fight the British line was well up to the great forest. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 4-5.] - -In the evening the old Fifth Division, now at last reaching the end -of those labours which had lasted for more than four terrible years -without a break, came into the field once more. It would be -interesting to know whether there was a single man left in the ranks -of those who had skirted Mormal Forest in August 1914 among the eager -battalions which now faced the same obstacle. It is of course true -that even the units had been largely altered in the interval, and yet -some of the grand old battalions still marched in their honoured -formations, changed in all save that eternal spirit which has made -and kept them famous. The Fifth Division was ordered to pass through -the ranks of the Thirty-seventh after dawn at the western edge of -Mormal Forest, and to push onwards to the east. General Oldman of -the 15th Brigade on the left advanced on a one-battalion front, and -kept the 1st Bedfords, 1st Norfolks, and 1st Cheshires leapfrogging -through each other as often as possible in order to minimise the -difficulties of the Forest. General Norton of the 95th Brigade on -the right of the line attacked with the 1st East Surreys and {245} -1st Cornwalls in the van, and the 1st Devons in reserve. All day the -Fifth Division clove its way through the great forest, the British -front, like a line of beaters, putting up the game as it went. For -the most part it was but a faint-hearted quarry, but here and there -it stood fiercely at bay, and trench mortars had to be rushed up and -strong points blown down, before the infantry could get forward. The -3rd Hussars kept pace and connected up with the New Zealanders on the -left. Pelting rain, deep mud, and broken tracks delayed, but could -not stop, the ardent advance, which continued until the leading line -was down on the bank of the Sambre, where they were joined next day -by the van of the Forty-second Division, which had relieved the New -Zealanders. One bridge at Quartes was found intact and was ready for -demolition, but Major Cloutman of the Sappers, commanding the 59th -Field Company, with extraordinary gallantry rolled across the -tow-path, swam the river, and cut the leads of the charge, all under -very heavy fire. It was a most daring deed, which was rewarded by a -V.C., but unhappily a small party of the enemy with equal gallantry -succeeded in repairing the leads and destroying the bridge. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 5, Nov. 7.] - -The operations on the right and centre of the Third Army front now -took the form of an advance to complete the possession of the Forest -of Mormal. On November 5 the Thirty-third and Twenty-first Divisions -were back in line, and, working in close liaison with the Eighteenth -Division on the left of the Fourth Army, they pushed the advance up -to the bank of the Sambre. Here it was found that all bridges had -been destroyed, and there was a check while the Twenty-first to the -north were making {246} good the rest of the Forest and breaking out -in little groups of khaki from the eastern edge. That night they -threw light bridges over the Sambre and got some infantry across, the -line running from north of Leval to east of Berlaimont. The left of -the Twenty-first Division was still west of the river. Next day, -November 6, the remorseless advance still went on. Transport was -failing, for the roads through the Forest were impossibly bad, but -nothing could stop the eager infantry, who were in full cry with -their quarry in the open. A number of villages were taken, each of -which was full of machine-guns, and showed some fight. By dusk the -line of the Avesnes-Bavay Road had been made good. On November 7 the -German retreat still continued, but the British had still to fight -their way and their progress was far from being a walking-tour. Both -the Thirty-third and Twenty-first had a sharp fight before they could -dislodge the rearguards from the Bois du Temple, Ecuelin, and -Limont-Fontaine. Campbell's men had a particularly hard task with -the latter, which was strongly garrisoned and stoutly defended, while -the neighbouring village of Eclaises also presented a bold front. -There was a real close infantry battle, with some savage -house-to-house fighting, before these points could be cleared. 130 -prisoners were taken. The war had now left the open arable country -and come into the country of small enclosed orchards with high -hedges, which blinded the German observers, since they had already -lost command of the air. This was a very vital point. On November 8 -the Welsh and Seventeenth were in the front line once more, and the -enemy was found to be still very organised and resolute on this -sector, {247} fighting hard and with some success to hold the line of -a watercourse. Finally this opposition weakened, or it might be more -fair to say that the brave rearguard, having done its work, was -withdrawn. On November 9 the Fifth Corps got along rapidly, gaining -the eastern edge of the Bois du Temple and the high ground east of -Beaufort. For a time all contact was lost with the enemy, who were -rapidly retreating, and they were not located again until they were -on the line of the River Thure. The roads had been blown up, and -pursuit was much retarded. The difficulties of the advance were much -aggravated by the impossibility of getting the supplies forward. -Many delay-action mines had gone up in the railways in the rear, -which prevented rail-heads from being rapidly advanced. It is a -fact, which is typical of the ghoulish humour of German methods, that -after several explosions in the Le Cateau station it occurred to some -one to dig up the graves which were marked in German as covering the -remains of some unknown British soldiers and were placed near the -line. In each case a delay-action mine was discovered all set for -different dates. It was determined, therefore, in order to economise -supplies, that a single Corps, the Sixth, should form the whole front -of the Third Army from this time onwards. This change was -accomplished, and the vanguard had just got in touch with the Germans -on the River Thure, when the historic November 11 came to end the -hostilities. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 9.] - -The troops of the Fourth Corps had moved forward from November 4 -onwards in close liaison with the advance just recorded. The Fifth -Division captured Pont-sur-Sambre, Boussières, and St. Remy, while -the Forty-second occupied Hautmont, so that on {248} November 9 the -Corps line was the Avesnes-Maubeuge Road. There they found -themselves when the bugles sounded the final "Cease fire." The -record of Harper's Corps since August 21 can be tersely summed up in -a few figures. They had lost 30,000 men. They had captured 22,500 -prisoners and 350 guns, fighting for ten weeks without rest or break, -and often in the worst of weather. The record of all the divisions -was splendid, but this is perhaps the place to say a special word -about the New Zealanders, which, in the judgement of many soldiers, -was, if it be not invidious to say so, equal to the very best -division in France. When it is stated that during the war they lost -57,632 men, and that the total number of prisoners taken from them is -reported to have been 45, these extraordinary figures make all -further comment superfluous. But what was particularly remarkable -was their appreciation of a military situation which more than once -altered the whole strategic situation. Thus it was their discovery -that the Crevecœur bridge was intact, and their rapidity in -seizing it and tenacity in holding it and the village, which -threatened the whole Beaurevoir line and helped to reduce to nullity -one of the greatest defences ever created by German engineers. These -men return to their island homes bearing with them the deep -admiration of their comrades and the gratitude of the Empire. They -joined discipline in peace to valour in war, and England was the -poorer when the last red hat-band was seen in the streets of her -cities. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 4-9.] - -The Sixth Corps, after the battle of Mormal Forest, pushed on to the -east, and was rather impeded by the water-logged country than by the -German resistance. On November 6 there was a counter-attack {249} -upon the Sixty-second Division, which made no headway and had heavy -losses. Bavisaux, Obies, and many other villages were taken, the -church in the latter place containing thirty machine-guns. The -Guards on the left took Buvignies, while the Twenty-fourth Division -upon their north held the line of the Hongnau River. On November 7 -the resistance was still negligible, but the continuous rain and the -wooded nature of the country made rapid progress almost impossible. -That evening General Haldane received the surprising news that it was -probable that the enemy would send emissaries through the Allied -lines with a view to negotiating an armistice, his instructions being -that if they approached his front they should be detained pending -instructions from higher authority. In the evening it was learned -that they had actually reached the French lines. The fighting still -continued, however, and on November 9 the Sixty-second Division had -reached the Sambre. The Guards on the same day pushed forward -rapidly and entered the citadel of Maubeuge in the afternoon. It was -difficult to get touch with the enemy, who were reported to be -standing at Boussois. At this period, as already told, the Sixth -Corps took over the whole Army front, and was advancing upon the -Maubeuge-Charleroi front when the fateful hour struck. - -The record of the Sixth Corps during their ten final weeks of work -had been a magnificent one, and was strangely parallel to that of the -Fourth Corps on their right. Their losses had been almost identical, -about 30,000 men. Their prisoners came to over 20,000 and their -captured guns were 350. The Fifth Corps, on the other hand, had -endured more than its {250} neighbours, having lost no less than -34,000 men. It had captured 13,000 prisoners. Altogether the losses -of the Third Army during the final ten weeks had been 100,000 men, -while they had taken about 60,000 prisoners with nearly 1000 guns. - -[Sidenote: Oct 16-20.] - -We have considered the advance of the three southern Corps of the -Third Army. In order to complete the record it is necessary to -return to October 13, and to trace the operations of Fergusson's -Seventeenth Corps, which were left on that date in front of the Selle -River. On October 14 the 72nd Brigade of the Twenty-fourth Division, -which was in the van, gained a footing at the edge of Haussy village, -which straddles the river. On October 16 this same brigade took the -whole village on either bank. The left of the line was held up, -however, by a particularly heavy gas screen. Later in the day the -Germans were into Haussy once more, but again were pushed out from -the western section of it, on which they gas-shelled it, to the -destruction of a number of unfortunate civilians who had been unable -to get away. 400 prisoners were taken during the day. October 17 -saw the British line where it had been on the 15th, as the gas clouds -hanging low over the river valley made the position down there -untenable. - -On October 20, a rainy and tempestuous day, the general advance of -the whole Third Army was resumed. The Nineteenth Division having -relieved the Twenty-fourth, carried out the advance on the front of -the Seventeenth Corps, having in touch with it the Fourth Division of -the Twenty-second Corps on the left, and the Guards of the Sixth -Corps on the right. The attack of the Nineteenth {251} Division had -for its first objective the bridging of the Selle, the capture of the -railway and high ground beyond, and of the village of East Haussy. -The second stage should be the ridge to the east. Two brigades -advanced--the 57th on the left and the 58th on the right--behind a -fine barrage from eleven brigades of artillery. - -[Sidenote: Oct 20-25.] - -The attack was started at 2 in the morning, and before 4 A.M. the -57th Brigade were in the whole of Haussy, the resistance having been -slight. At 6 o'clock the 8th Gloucesters, on the extreme right, had -reached their final objective, where they were endeavouring to get -touch with the Guards in the neighbourhood of Maison Blanche. The -10th Warwicks were held up on the left, but soon cleared out the -obnoxious pocket. By 9 o'clock the 58th Brigade was also on its -extreme limit, and an obstinate strong point was surrounded and -destroyed. In this brigade the 2nd Wiltshires had the worst ordeal, -but they won through at last. Patrols on the right had reached the -banks of the Harpies. The blow had, as must be admitted, been -delivered in the air, but the river line had been won, and that was -the essential. - -On October 23 the part played by the Seventeenth Corps was subsidiary -to that of the Corps to the north and to the south. On this date the -Nineteenth Division was ordered to protect the left flank of the -Sixth Corps in its advance on Romeries and Escarmain. This was duly -carried out by the 8th Gloucesters and 10th Warwicks, and contributed -greatly to the victory in the south. That night the Sixty-first -South Midland Division took over from the Nineteenth Division, with -an ambitious programme for next day, October 24. In the course of -{252} this attack the 183rd Brigade advanced on the right and the -182nd on the left, their objectives including the villages of -Bermerain, Vendegies, and Sommaing. There followed a confused day of -hard fighting, the general movement being always from west to east. -All three villages were most hotly contested. Vendegies proved to be -a special centre of resistance, but on the morning of October 25 it -was found to be unoccupied, and the whole resistance had relaxed to -such an extent that the front of the Army flowed slowly forward with -hardly a check, submerging fresh areas and villages until it had -reached the Rhonelle River, where a bridge-head was established on -the front of the Twenty-second Corps. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 1-4.] - -On November 1 the advance was resumed, when Maresches was attacked by -the Sixty-first Division, the Warwicks and Worcesters of the 182nd -Brigade being in the lead. The village was taken with about three -hundred of the garrison. Preseau on the left had fallen. This was -the centre of a violent counter-attack in the afternoon, which -involved the right of the Fourth and the left of the Sixty-first -Divisions. Four German tanks co-operated, two of which were -destroyed by the British guns. This attack pressed back the advance -from its furthest point, but made no material change in the -situation, though Preseau was regained by the Germans, with the -effect that their machine-guns from this point held up the left flank -of the 184th Brigade in their further advance. Nearly 800 prisoners -were made during the day. - -The advance was renewed next morning, November 2, and again the -resistance seemed to wane, so that by midday the full objectives -planned, but not {253} attained, on the previous day had been reached -with little loss, the Sixty-first moving onwards in close touch with -the Fourth on their left and the Second on their right. The -Sixty-first were now drawn out of the line, and the Nineteenth and -Twenty-fourth each sent up a brigade to take their place. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 3-4.] - -November 3 found the front of the Corps still pushing forward without -undue opposition. In the late afternoon the 9th Cheshires of the -56th Brigade were in Jenlain in touch with the Eleventh Division upon -their left. The whole of the Jenlain-Le Quesnoy Road had been -reached along the Corps front, and once again it seemed as if the -cavalry might get their long-sought opportunity. Next morning, -however, November 4, found the stubborn German still standing grimly -on the defensive, and the infantry went forward once more to -pitch-fork him a little farther to the east. It was a great general -attack in which the three Armies, First, Third, and Fourth, all moved -forward against the Avesnes-Maubeuge-Mons line. On the front of the -Seventeenth Corps there was no very outstanding objective, and yet it -was of course essential that they should keep well up with the line, -if only in order to cover the flanks of their neighbours. - -The right of the Corps when the advance began consisted of the 73rd -Brigade of the Twenty-fourth Division. On its left was the 56th -Brigade, and to the left of that the 58th, both of the Nineteenth -Division. Both infantry and artillery had to find their battle -stations in pitch darkness, but all were in their places at zero. At -6 o'clock the line went forward, faced in the first instance by a -small stream, the Petit Aunelle, which was safely crossed, though its -banks were in places 30 feet deep. At 10 o'clock {254} both -divisions had gained the higher ground beyond the stream. By midday -the Twenty-fourth Division had reached the Great Aunelle River, and a -party of the 7th Northamptons drove away with their accurate -rifle-fire the German sappers who were endeavouring to destroy the -bridge, but could not themselves cross on account of the heavy German -fire. The 2nd Wilts of the Nineteenth Division had their patrols in -Eth. To the north the Eleventh Division was over the river, and the -German position was rapidly becoming impossible, though they were -counter-attacking with great valour upon the farther bank of the -stream. Before evening Wargnies had fallen to the 9th Cheshires, and -the whole British front was up to or over the Aunelle. The advance -was carried on in pouring rain on November 5, a further area being -gained up to the Hongnau River and the position strengthened, though -the amount of ground on the farther side of the river was still -limited and varied with the German counter-attacks which occasionally -swept back the intrusive bridge-heads, but only to have them -re-established once more. The troops were soaked, the ground was -sodden, the infantry were over the ankles in mud, and every one was -exhausted. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 4-7.] - -On the morning of November 7 this line of the Hongnau had been -abandoned by the Germans and the advance was resumed. It must surely -have been at this period of the war one of the most impressive sights -in the whole history of the world, could one with a single sweeping -glance have seen that gigantic line from the left wing of the -Belgians on the Dutch frontier to the right wing of the French within -view of the Swiss, moving forward every day, millions of {255} men -advancing together, with the flash of their bayonets before them and -the red glare of their shells in front of them, while along that -whole front of four hundred miles the grey cloud, like some visible -thing of evil, rolled slowly back in front, leaving bare the ground -which it had blighted and poisoned. It was clear to all men that the -end was near, and yet few dared to hope how near it actually proved -to be. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 7-9.] - -On November 7 the Twenty-fourth Division took over Bavay, which had -just been captured by the Guards. The weather conditions were more -serious than the German opposition, and the advance was held back by -the dreadful roads. None the less a long succession of villages were -wrenched from the enemy--Taisnières, Feignies, and others--while on -November 9 the Guards were in Maubeuge on the right. From this time -there was practically no more fighting, and only a slow advance on -the one side and a slow retreat on the other until the fateful -November 11. To quote the memorandum of a General Officer upon the -spot: "The moral effect of retirement upon the enemy was very marked, -and it was found that even his machine-gunners, who had fought very -well all through our advance, were beginning to feel the effect, and -would not stand once a field-gun was brought up to deal with them." - - - - -{256} - -CHAPTER X - -THE ADVANCE OF HORNE'S FIRST ARMY - -From September 27 to the end - -The Canadians at the Canal du Nord--Hard fighting at Bourlon--Strong -counter attack at Abancourt--Canadian valour--Godley's Twenty-Second -Corps--The Ecaillon valley--Forcing of the Rhonelle--General -Heneker's attack--Capture of Douai. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 27-29.] - -On September 27 the Canadian Corps, with the Eleventh British -Division, attacked once more, the advance joining the left flank of -that huge movement in which the First, Third, and Fourth Armies were -all engaged. The Twenty-second and Eighth Corps to the north were -not engaged, but made a vigorous demonstration in support. The -Canadian attack, which began at early dawn, was on a 6000-yard front, -from Mœuvres in the south to the Arras-Cambrai Road. In this -advance the First and Fourth Canadian Divisions were, in the first -instance, to cross the Canal du Nord, and to capture Bourlon Wood and -village, with the high ground about Pilgrim's Rest. This attack was -in conjunction with one upon the right made by the Seventeenth Corps, -where the Fifteenth and Sixty-third Divisions stormed the line of the -Canal du Nord east and south-east of Mœuvres, as already recorded. -This movement was entirely successful, though there was {257} very -obstinate resistance at Graincourt, which held up the advance for a -time. The Fifty-seventh Division passed through, however, to the -north of this village and gained Cantaing and Fontaine, so that the -defenders of Graincourt, finding British troops behind them, were -forced to surrender. - -[Illustration: General Position of the Allies immediately before the -Armistice of November 11, 1918] - -The Canal du Nord had been emptied by the blowing up of sluice-gates, -and was quickly passed by the Canadian troops, who scrambled down one -side and up the other, with or without the aid of scaling-ladders. -At the other side they found much less resistance than had been -expected, which was greatly the result of a barrage which has seldom -been equalled for accuracy and intensity. Captured German officers -declared that nothing could live under it. The German guns were slow -and feeble in their reply, and the whole work of the enemy artillery -at this period showed how nervous it had become through the recent -heavy captures, and how much they appreciated the necessity of -keeping well to the rear. The Canadian line poured on with little -loss and did not halt until it had seized its whole objective, -including the ground about Bourlon, which had been the scene of such -bitter and fruitless fighting ten months before. Guardsmen and -Highlanders, men of Surrey and of Yorkshire, all who had fallen upon -and still lay within the soil of that sinister grove, were finally -justified and avenged that day. The whole manoeuvre, by which a -large part of the German line was taken in the rear, elicited -expressions of surprise and admiration from captured German officers. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 29.] - -In the second stage of the Canadian attack the First Canadian and the -Eleventh British {258} Divisions--the latter on the extreme -left--took up the running, and carried the line forward in the -direction of Raillencourt and Haynecourt. In the afternoon the 169th -Brigade of the Fifty-sixth Division also came in upon the left, near -the Arras-Cambrai Road, to clear the area between the Eleventh -Division and the Canal du Nord, the latter division having taken -Oisy-le-Verger. There was constant fighting during the day in this -quarter, the 168th Brigade coming into action to the left of the -169th, and next morning the 8th Middlesex took Palluel. They also -crossed the River Sensée and captured Arleux, but a strong barrage, -followed by an infantry attack, drove them out again at 3.30 on the -morning of September 29. All these attacks, both of the Eleventh and -Fifty-sixth Divisions, were made, after crossing the Canal du Nord, -from south to north, so as to extend the left flank of the Canadians. - -One of the predominating factors in these operations was the great -flood caused by the blocking of the Trinquis and Sensée rivers by the -Germans, which created wide lakes shown upon no map, across the front -of the Twenty-second Corps. As a matter of fact this development was -regarded with some complacency by General Godley, for there had -always been a chance that the Germans, by driving a really strong -counter-attack along the line of the Scarpe, might checkmate the -whole British advance to the south. The effect of the inundations -was to free the British higher command from any fears of the kind and -to enable them to hold that part very lightly, while they thickened -their line elsewhere. - -We have left the Canadian line on September 28. On this date the -Third Canadian Division, which {259} had relieved part of the Fourth -British on the right of the Corps front, attacked with the 7th and -9th Brigades in the van. On its left was the 10th Canadian Brigade, -which in turn had the 2nd Canadian Brigade to the north of it. The -Third Canadian Division made good progress and pushed through as far -as Raillencourt, but the First Canadian Division remained motionless, -as it was already rather in front of the general line. The Eleventh -British Division was doing continuous good work in the north, but on -the morning of September 29 its 32nd Brigade was held up by a strong -field of wire, and the advance was checked in that quarter, but later -in the day the whole line pushed on once more, the order of brigades -from the north being 32 (British), 2, 12, 7, 9 (all four Canadian). -A mist covered the front, and from the heart of this impenetrable -cloud came the constant rattle of the German fire, while their -bullets swept every avenue of approach. The progress was irregular, -but by 9.45 in the morning the 12th Canadian Brigade had taken -Sancourt and had entered Blecourt, where some fierce bludgeon work -was going on. At 10 A.M. the 2nd Brigade had reached Abancourt -station, but the Eleventh Division were again held up in the north, -which exposed the left flank of the Canadians. South of the Bapaume -Road the 9th Brigade was making steady progress, while the 7th had -reached Neuville St. Remy. For a moment the 12th Canadian Brigade -was staggered by a heavy counter which broke upon it, but the ranks -soon rallied and the ground was regained. It was desperately hard -fighting, however, and it was to continue day after day until all the -northern grit of General Currie's Corps was needed to sustain it. -{260} Early in the morning of September 30 they were at it again, the -immediate objects of the operations being the capture of the -bridge-heads on the Canal de l'Escaut by the Third and Fourth -Canadian Divisions, and secondly, that the high ground over the River -Sensée should be secured by the First Canadians and Eleventh British. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 30.] - -The attack began well, as the Third Canadian Division got Tilloy and -the Fourth got Blecourt. There was some progress also along the -Cambrai Road, when the 3rd Canadians got Petit Fontaine. It was "do -or die" with the Germans, however, who were keenly alive to the fact -that at all costs they must hold the bridge-heads of the Canal. They -had put out a great effort, and had brought up three new fighting -divisions, making seven in all between Cambrai and the Sensée River. -Counter-attacks rolled one after the other from the east, but the -Canadians showed themselves as stiff in defence as they were ardent -in attack. They might well be in high heart, for since September 27, -200 guns and 5500 prisoners were visible signs of their victory. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 1.] - -On October 1 the Fifty-sixth Division relieved the Eleventh and both -reverted to the Twenty-second Corps. At 5 A.M. on that date the -Canadian attack was renewed, synchronising with that of the -Seventeenth Corps in the south and the Twenty-second in the north. -The order of brigades on the Canadian front was, from the north, 1, -3, 11, and 9. The advance was made under a heavy barrage, but it met -with a most desperate resistance. In this and the following day the -Canadians experienced as heavy fighting as any in their great record. -By 8 o'clock the general line had got as far as Canal {261} -bank-Morenchies Wood-Cuvillers-Bantigny-Abancourt. Shortly -afterwards a very heavy German attack struck the whole Corps front, -rolling chiefly up the Bantigny valley, the hostile infantry emerging -from Paillencourt and thence pouring forward with great determination -in several lines. The 1st Canadian Brigade in the north was bare -upon its left flank and was in sore straits, but the 3rd Brigade held -on fast to the slope which leads down to the Canal. While swarms of -men attacked the British line a number of pockets developed in all -the ground which had been taken that day, so that the troops were -shot at from all sides. The British artillery came to the rescue, -however, and caught the German masses as they advanced with murderous -results--one battery of heavies firing 1600 rounds. None the less -the enemy won back Abancourt, and gained some ground along the whole -front, the battle centring upon Blecourt. - -That night the British line, which was already much weakened by -prolonged fighting, and which was clearly opposed by superior forces, -halted for a time for reorganisation and reinforcement. It has since -been proved that no fewer than thirteen German divisions were thrown -in upon this section of the line. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 2.] - -The work of the Canadian Corps in crossing the Nord Canal, following -upon their splendid work in breaking the Quéant-Drocourt line, -reasserted the fact, so often demonstrated before, that there are no -better soldiers in the world than those of the Dominion. It has been -impossible to specify the innumerable acts of valour performed by -these brave men, but looking at the highest record of all, as -chronicled during these few days of battle, one finds that the -Victoria Cross was awarded to Captain {262} MacGregor and Lieut. Kerr -of the 1st Central Ontario Regiment, the first, after being himself -wounded, having killed four and taken eight of the enemy, while the -latter rushed a strong point single-handed and captured four -machine-guns with thirty-one prisoners. Lieut. Gregg, of the Nova -Scotians, killed or wounded eleven of the enemy and took twenty-five -prisoners on September 28. Lieut. Honey, of the 78th Manitobas, -captured a whole nest of guns single-handed, with ten prisoners, -dying of wounds on the last day of the attack, while Sergeant -Merisfield of the 4th Central Ontarios cleared out two posts by his -own initiative, and fought after being wounded until a second wound -left him senseless upon the ground. Such were the iron men who have -made the name of Canada great in the battlefields of Europe. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 7.] - -For the sake of connected narrative we may carry on the story of the -Canadians from October 2, when their weakened ranks, after their -great and continuous exertions, were held by the strong German array -in front of Abancourt. For the next few days, while gathering for a -fresh spring, the Canadians saw heavy palls of smoke over Cambrai, -while at night the dull red glow from great fires hinted at an -approaching retreat. During the week which followed, the Seventeenth -Corps was, as has been told in their own chronicle, making splendid -progress to the south. On October 7 the Second and Third Canadian -Divisions, rested and strengthened, renewed their advance. On that -date they advanced with the old design of securing the bridge-heads -over the Canal, Pont d'Aire and Ramillies being their objectives, the -latter a name of good omen for any {263} British operation. Rapid -progress was made, and it was soon evident that, be the machine-guns -ever so numerous and spiteful, it was still only a rear screen which -faced the attack. The light of day had hardly come before the 5th -Brigade, after a short, sharp tussle, had possession of Pont d'Aire, -while the 6th Brigade got Ramillies. The 8th Brigade, to its own -amazement, crossed the Canal without opposition, and pushed its -patrols into Cambrai. It seems that at the moment of the attack the -Germans were caught in the confusion of their changes. On October 8 -Cambrai was cleared, huge fires were extinguished, and wires, by -which the destruction of the town might be completed, were traced and -cut. An air reconnaissance at dawn on October 9 showed that the -enemy had cleared away from the whole area between the Sensée Canal -and the Canal de l'Escaut, having destroyed all the Sensée bridges. -The Seventeenth Corps sent the Twenty-fourth Division into Cambrai to -take it over, while there was an immediate pursuit of the retreating -enemy, in which General Currie pushed forward a mobile column, called -Brutinel's Brigade, which contained light guns and the Canadian Light -Horse. Villages fell rapidly all along the line both to the -Canadians and to the British Eleventh Division on their left. - -On October 10 a fresh line of resistance was reached, and the -Canadian Corps instantly attacked it, in conjunction with the -Eleventh Division. The 4th Canadian Brigade advanced swiftly and got -Naves with little opposition. The 6th Canadian Brigade took Thun St. -Martin. The Eleventh Division got Estrun and reached the edge of Hem -Lenglet. - -{264} - -On October 11 the Second Canadian Division, together with the -Forty-ninth Yorkshire Territorials, who had relieved the Eleventh, -continued their advance, the Canadians met with heavy opposition from -Iwuy, and in the forenoon there came a heavy counter-attack, led by -seven tanks, six of which paid the penalty. On October 12 the First -Canadian Division in the north found that their front was apparently -clear, so they swiftly advanced and took Arleux and Estrées, while -the Twenty-second Corps attacked on their right and reached Hordain. -On this day was the fine attack, recorded elsewhere, of the -Fifty-sixth British Division, which got across the Canal at Aubigny. -On October 17 the whole line of the Canal was clear, and the First -Canadian Division advanced towards Douai, which was occupied by the -Eighth British Division from the north. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 12.] - -No further important services were exacted from the Canadian Corps, -which had done its share, and more than its share, of the work, so -that it retired from the line with the warm admiration and respect of -every British soldier who had had experience of it. From its first -dreadful baptism of fire, when it faced without masks the unknown -horrors of the poison gas, down to the campaign in which it broke the -great Quéant switch line, and forced the Canal du Nord, there was -never one single occasion upon which the Canadians did not rise to -the highest point of military virtue in actual battle. Their record -will be fully set out in many a book which will deal fully and in -detail with their great deeds. Such a chronicle as this can only -hope to help the reader to fit that fuller and more worthy record -into the general plan. - -We shall now follow the work of Godley's Twenty-second {265} Corps -from the time that its right flank crossed the Canal du Nord in the -Marquion sector, taking its operations consecutively, and linking -them up with the Canadians on the south, who were now, as already -recorded, advancing upon Cambrai, bursting through every obstacle as -they went. Early in October Hunter-Weston's Eighth Corps extended -down to the Scarpe. There was great preparation for the future, but -no actual fighting, save for some outpost bickerings between the 12th -Brigade of the Fourth Division and the Germans on the north of the -Trinquis brook, in the course of which the British posts were -attacked--one of them as many as eight times--but remained untaken. -On October 7 the guns of the Twenty-second Corps co-operated in the -attack made on that day by the Eighth Corps in the north which -captured Biache St. Vaast, and a portion of the Fresnes-Rouvroy line. -On October 9 there was a reconnaissance of the northern part of the -Drocourt-Quéant line by strong patrols, but it was found that it was -still strongly held. It was at this period that the Canadian Corps -was brought across to the left of the Twenty-second Corps, while the -latter moved south, so that it now lay between the Cambrai-Saulzoir -Road and the Canal de l'Escaut. Whilst this considerable movement -was in progress, on October 11 the Eighth Corps on the north captured -the portion of the Drocourt line which was opposite to it. The -Fifty-sixth Division and First Canadians, who were on the immediate -south, took some part in the fray, the Londoners capturing Fresnes, -and the Canadians the high ground which faced them. After the change -was carried out, the front east of Cambrai was held by {266} the -Forty-ninth Yorkshire Division on the right and by the Fifty-first -Highlanders on the left. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 11.] - -Immediately before these fresh dispositions were carried out in the -south, there was a sharp action in this sector, in which, under the -direction of General Currie, the Second Canadians and the Forty-ninth -British attacked Iwuy and the ground south-west of it. This was on -October 11. The attack gained ground and some hundreds of prisoners, -but the losses were in excess of the gains, especially in the case of -the Yorkshire Territorials, who suffered considerably in a -counter-attack which was urged with the help of tanks. On the -morning of October 12 the Fifty-first Highlanders had taken over from -the Canadians and carried on the operation. All day there was sharp -fighting in front of the British divisions. The Forty-ninth made -good progress and followed up the retreating enemy, but the -Fifty-first found a stiff opposition on the left, where the Germans -held fast to Lieu St. Amand, powerfully supported by their guns on -the north bank of the Canal de l'Escaut. The right of the Highland -Division captured Avesnes-le-Sec, and so came level with the left of -the Forty-ninth. This latter division had continual fighting at -Haspres and Saulzoir on to the line of the Selle. - -On October 13 the action was renewed, both the British divisions -striving hard to push through the German rearguards, which were very -strong and were backed by powerful artillery from north and east. -Progress was slow, for the country was an open plain without a -vestige of cover. The enemy were holding the Canadians to the north -of the Escaut Canal, and so were able to keep their guns well forward -on that side, to enfilade the advance {267} to the south, and to -support their position on the Selle. The British had come into the -region of the civil population, so that they had to be chary and -discriminating in the use of their guns, while gas shells could -hardly be used at all. The Third Army had now got so far ahead that -it was compelled to pause for supplies, and the First Army was forced -to conform. - -Cameron's Forty-ninth Division was much exhausted by its exertions, -so the Fourth British Division came up about October 15 to relieve -it. It met with a sad misfortune immediately after it had taken its -place in the line, as its commanding officer, General Lipsett, was -killed while carrying out a reconnaissance in front of the line. He -had recently been transferred from a Canadian division, and had a -great war record, extending back to near the beginning. It is indeed -tragic when one who has played a great part in the drama leaves -before the final curtain falls. General Lucas took over the division. - -There was no change in the situation so far as the Twenty-second -Corps was concerned until October 19, when the enemy began to retire -in front of the Highland Division, in conformity with a movement -which had already begun north of L'Escaut, and which spread down to -the front of the Fourth Division. The Germans had prepared a line of -defence upon the Ecaillon River in the rear, and were now letting go -of the Selle in order to reassemble their forces upon this even -stronger front. The withdrawal was irregular, so that some parts of -his array remained hard when others had almost ceased to exist. Thus -at Haspres and the part of the Selle {268} to the north of it, there -was still some stiff fighting. He abandoned Saulzoir, however, and -the Fourth Division promptly established a bridge-head which should -be the base for a future advance. On the Fifty-first Divisional -front the pursuit was so rapid, both by the Highlanders and by the -Corps Cavalry, that there was not much time for reorganisation. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 20.] - -During October 20 and 21 the Germans were slowly pressed back from -the high ground east of the Selle into the Ecaillon valley, and -artillery was pushed up to prepare for a further attack upon the new -line. The sappers did some great work in throwing, under fire, many -bridges over the Selle. Noyelles and Douchy were occupied on the -morning of October 20. The river was found to be strongly wired, and -there were scattered lines of trenches on the farther side, which -made up a strong, fortified position, called by the Germans the -Hermanstellung. It was clearly a more elaborate position than that -of the Selle. None the less the infantry was not to be denied and -the troops crossed the river by wading, the water in many cases being -up to the armpits of the men. The 10th and 11th Brigades of the -Fourth Division fought their way half-way up the north-eastern slope -of the valley, past the villages of Verchain and Moncheaux. The 1st -Somersets and 1st Hants occupied the latter and pushed through it, -securing the high ground east of the villages, but they found that -their comrades of the 2nd West Riding and 1st Warwicks were held up -by the German main line upon the crest of the hill, and that the -Sixty-first Division, the nearest unit on their right, were -temporarily checked at Vendegies. The 2nd West Riding got forward, -however, and occupied a {269} position on the crest called "The -Pimple," whilst the Fifty-first Division on the north of the 11th -Brigade also got well forward up to the village of Maing. In the -morning of October 25 the 12th Brigade took up the task in this -sector, the 1st King's Own on the right and the 2nd Essex on the left -advancing without any very serious opposition, being in touch with -the left of the Seventeenth Corps. In the late afternoon the Germans -reacted strongly, and there was a counter-attack upon the front of -the 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers and upon the Highlanders to their left, -but it had little effect. The 154th Brigade of Highlanders was very -heavily engaged during this strenuous day, and the 6/7th Argyll and -Sutherlands, among others, had serious losses. Among many brave -deeds that of Lieut. Bissett is conspicuous, for he won the V.C. by -repeated acts of gallantry, leading his men in a desperate bayonet -charge, after all their ammunition was expended, and so saving the -line. Before evening the village of Querenaing had been occupied and -the line of the Artres-Famars Road; 1200 more prisoners were in the -Corps cage. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 25.] - -The attack upon the Ecaillon position was a difficult military -operation, and one which showed very clearly the marked ascendancy -which the British soldier had gained over his German rival. Every -factor was in favour of the defence, and yet the line was rapidly -shattered by the determined advance of the two divisions concerned. -The object of the action was not merely the gain of ground, though -that was considerable, but it was to cover the left of the Third Army -and also to assist in the advance of the Canadian Corps towards -Valenciennes, all of {270} which aims were fully carried out. The -action of the infantry was all the finer because they entirely lost -the time-table barrage, and had to depend upon their own fine courage -and the tactical skill of their leaders. In the actual crossing of -the river all ranks showed great gallantry and determination. The -method in which the advance was pressed and the victory followed up -by very weary soldiers was remarkable, and resulted, among other -things, in the capture of the bridge-head of Artres by the Fourth -Division, which proved of great value both to the Seventeenth and to -the Twenty-second Corps. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 26.] - -A railway from Valenciennes to Le Quesnoy ran across the front of the -Corps, and this was made the forming-up point for the renewed attack -next morning, when the Fourth and the tireless Fifty-first went -forward again under a heavy barrage. Having lost the successive -lines of the Selle and the Ecaillon, the Germans were now lining up -on the east bank of the Rhonelle, prepared to make a resolute -defence. A party of the 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers got across, -however, on the morning of the 26th, and established a bridge-head, -and joined hands with a party from the Sixty-first Division on their -right, who had also forded the stream. This point held firm, but -when the 2nd Essex on the left attempted also to cross, there was a -stubborn resistance. With field-guns in the face of them and a -raking fire from machine-guns at Gaumont Farm on their left flank, -this brave battalion had a bad half-hour. The Germans then -counter-attacked, falling upon both the Highlanders and the Essex -men, but both stood firm, though the gas with which the whole -position was drenched made the defence difficult. {271} In this -action the leading battalion of Highlanders at the point attacked, -the 6th Argyll and Sutherlands, dashed forward with the bayonet at -the advancing Germans and drove them pell-mell back; 212 more -prisoners were secured. - -The situation on October 26 was that the Corps front was well up to -the River Rhonelle, that the Fourth Division had taken Artres and -established a post across the river, and that the Fifty-first had got -as far as Famars, which it had occupied. Attempts of the Fourth -Division to enlarge their holding on the east of the stream had no -good result, but the bridge-head was still held against all attacks. -On the 27th the Germans attacked the Highlanders and forced their way -into Famars, but were again met with the cold steel, this time by the -4th Gordons, and thrown out of the village. Next morning, October -28, the Fifty-first advanced its line, making a lodgment upon Mont -Houy on its left flank, and capturing Poirier station. Here they -were stopped by a strong German attack. It must be admitted that, -considering the incessant retreats and the heavy punishments which -they had received, the German troops showed a fine constancy in these -numerous but useless efforts to throw back the advance. On October -30 the Fifty-first Division was drawn into reserve and the -Forty-ninth took their place in the line. Although there had been no -eastward movement during the last few days, the Highlanders had spent -them in an incessant pressure to the north-east, to aid the advance -upon Valenciennes. By this means a good jumping-off place was -secured, from which a Canadian brigade was to attack Valenciennes -from the south, in conjunction {272} with the main attack upon the -Rhonelle line. The Highlanders withdrew from the line in great heart -but very exhausted by a long spell of ceaseless work. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 1.] - -On November 1, under a tremendous artillery barrage, the -Twenty-second Corps advanced to the forcing of the Rhonelle, the -third river front within a fortnight. If the operation were -successful it would be decisive of the fate of Valenciennes. The men -were very weary, and their ranks had been thinned by the influenza -microbe as much as by bullets, but they were cheered by victory and -the visible signs of progress in the virgin country all around them. -The Fourth Division were still on the right, and the Forty-ninth -Yorkshire Territorials on the left. The 11th Brigade held the -all-important bridge-head, and across it went the 1st Rifle Brigade, -while the 1st Hants forded the river on their left. The crossing was -accomplished with no great difficulty, and once across the advance -was rapidly pushed. Preseau village was the first objective on this -wing of the attack. The resistance was unequal and was soon disposed -of, and the village was taken, together with the line of the -Preseau-Marly Road. About ten o'clock there came a strong German -counter-attack, which got round both flanks of the Rifle Brigade and -practically surrounded them, so that the leading companies were hard -put to it to fight their way back into the village and out to the -west of it. The machine-gun fire was very severe. This attack was -purely local, and did not affect the Hampshires or the Forty-ninth -Division. Low-flying aeroplanes aided the German infantry, but were -more alarming than dangerous. Eventually the Rifle Brigade dug in -about 400 yards {273} west of the village; 1700 prisoners were taken -during the day. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 2.] - -Following the policy of giving the Germans no rest, both divisions -attacked again next morning. The 2nd Seaforths of the 10th Brigade -were on the right and the 1st King's Own of the 12th Brigade on the -left of the Fourth Division's front. The German resistance, which -was expected to be strong after the counter-attacks of the day -before, suddenly collapsed, and Preseau was taken once more. So was -the dangerous high ground 700 yards to the east, which was bristling -with machine-guns. The Yorkshiremen on the left had advanced with -equal bravery, and had taken the steel works south of Marly. -Altogether about 1000 more prisoners were taken. That night the -Eleventh Division relieved the Fourth, while the Fifty-sixth took the -place of the Forty-ninth. The latter division was very weak in -numbers, so Blacklock's Sixty-third Naval Division was transferred to -the Twenty-second Corps in order to help cover the widening front. - -It is worth recording that in all this recent fighting, with its -approximation to open warfare, the youths who now made up the bulk of -the fighting divisions were found to acquit themselves manfully. -Their only deterioration from the older type was in their power of -endurance and of resistance to weather, so that after two rough days -there was a distinct weakening of their powers. They were trained to -use their individual minds in the assault, advancing in small -independent sections in single file. "In open country the employment -of waves in the attack is criminal"--such was one of the last -military notes of the war. - -{274} - -[Sidenote: Nov. 4.] - -Early on the morning of November 3 the enemy showed clear signs of -having had enough, and was withdrawing along the whole front, closely -pursued by mounted troops and by infantry. Curgies and Saultain were -taken, and the line rapidly extended. On November 4 the pace -accelerated, and the crossings of the River Aunelle were forced, the -Eleventh Division having a sharp fight at Sebourg. On November 5 the -Belgian frontier was crossed and the villages of Mesaurain, Boisin, -and Angre were occupied. There was some fighting on this day, the -168th Brigade having a sharp skirmish at Angre. Three tanks of -British pattern were captured during the day. On November 6 the -Grande Aunelle River had to be crossed, and the Germans made a -resistance which at one time was both strenuous and successful. -There was a great deal of gas, and all troops had to wear their -masks. The Eleventh Division was unable to reach the river on -account of the long open slope down which any advance must be made. -The Fifty-sixth Division got across south of Angre, and reached the -high ground to the east, the 2nd London and London Rifle Brigade in -the lead. The former battalion was heavily counter-attacked in the -Bois de Beaufort and was driven back to the river, while the London -Rifle Brigade also suffered heavy casualties from machine-gun fire -from Angre. Forty men of the 2nd Londons were entirely cut off but -held on in a deep ditch in the wood, and were surrounded by the -enemy. None the less they managed to cut their way out and rejoin -their battalion. - -On the left of the attack the Kensingtons and London Scottish crossed -the river and got possession {275} of Angre. They found themselves -involved in a very fierce fight, which swayed backwards and forwards -all day, each side attacking and counter-attacking with the utmost -determination. Twice the Londoners were driven back and twice they -regained their objectives, ending up with their grip still firm upon -the village, though they could not retain the high ground beyond. -Late at night, however, the 168th Brigade established itself almost -without opposition upon the ridge. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 7.] - -On November 7 the opposition had wilted away and the Twenty-second -Corps advanced with elements of three divisions in front, for the -naval men were now in line on the left, "on the starboard bow of the -Second Canadians," to quote their own words. The river was crossed -on the whole front and a string of villages were occupied on this and -the following days. The rain was pouring down, all bridges had been -destroyed, the roads had been blown up, and everything was against -rapidity of movement. None the less the front flowed ever forward, -though the food problem had become so difficult that advanced troops -were supplied by aeroplane. The 16th Lancers had joined the -Australian Light Horse, and the cavalry patrols pushed far ahead. -Bavay was taken on November 10, and the Corps front had reached one -mile east of Villers St. Ghislain when, on November 11, the -"cease-fire" was sounded and the white flag appeared. - -The general experience of the Twenty-second Corps during these last -weeks of the war was that the German rearguards consisted mainly of -machine-guns, some of which were fought as bravely as ever. The -infantry, on the other hand, were of low {276} morale and much -disorganised. Need for mounted troops who could swiftly brush aside -a thin line and expose a bluff was much felt. The roads were too -muddy and broken for the cyclists, and there was no main road -parallel with the advance. Owing to his machine-guns and artillery -the enemy was able always to withdraw at his own time. 3200 -prisoners had been taken by the Twenty-second Corps in the final ten -days. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 21.] - -In dealing with the advance of Horne's First Army we have examined -the splendid work of the Canadian Corps and of the Twenty-second -Corps. We must now turn to the operations of Hunter-Weston's Eighth -Corps on the extreme north of this Army, linking up on the left with -the right of Birdwood's Fifth Army in the neighbourhood of Lens. Up -to the end of September, save for local enterprises, neither the -Eighth Division on the right nor the Twentieth on the left had made -any serious movement. The time was not yet ripe. At the close of -September, however, when the line was all aflame both to the south -and in Flanders, it was clear that the movement of the British Armies -must be a general one. At that date the Eighth Division extended its -flank down to the Scarpe, where it was in touch with the Forty-ninth -Division, forming the left of Godley's Twenty-second Corps. Before -effecting this change Heneker, on September 21, carried out a -spirited local attack with his own division, by which he gained -important ground in the Oppy and Gavrelle sectors. It was a hard -fight, in which the 2nd Berks had specially severe losses, but a -considerable area of important ground was permanently gained. - -{277} - -[Sidenote: Oct. 7.] - -Early in October General Heneker proceeded to carry out an ambitious -scheme which he had meditated for some time, and which had now -received the approbation of his Corps Commander. This was an attack -by his own division upon the strong Fresnes-Rouvroy line, to the -north-east of Arras. His plan was to make a sudden concentrated -assault upon the south end of this formidable deeply-wired line, and -then to work upwards to the north, avoiding the perils and losses of -a frontal advance. This enterprise was begun at 5 A.M. on October 7, -and was carried through with that mixture of dash and skill which -marks the ideal operation. The 23rd and 25th Brigades supplied the -storm-troops, who were drawn from the 2nd Middlesex, 2nd West Yorks, -and 2nd Devons, and attacked on a front of 3500 yards. The gain of -ground was nearly two miles; the line was broken and Biache was -taken. On the next day, October 8, the northward turning movement -was carried through, the 1st Worcesters, 1st Sherwood Foresters, and -2nd Berkshires pushing into the front line, the work being mainly -carried out by bombing. Altogether 37 machine-guns and 250 prisoners -were taken, together with the villages of Fresnes and Neuvireuil, so -that the divisional front was now brought opposite the -Drocourt-Quéant line. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 7.] - -This strong triple system of the Hindenburg type was attacked in the -early morning of October 11 in this sector by Grogan's 23rd Brigade, -and by 7 A.M. both the 2nd Middlesex and 2nd Devons were through it, -holding the whole front before them, with the exception of the town -of Vitry on the Scarpe. The Twelfth Division had taken the place of -the Twentieth on the left of the Eighth, and it had also fought its -{278} way forward, but it was still short of striking distance and -could not take part in the attack. The chief danger was from the -south, as the floods in the Trinquis River were holding up the First -Canadian Division in that quarter, so that the German guns could all -swing their muzzles to the north. This was obviated by a free use of -smoke and gas, so that the British infantry were shrouded on their -right flank. The barrage, by a very ingenious device, was not put -down in such a fashion as to pin the Germans to their positions and -make it more dangerous to fly than to stand, but it was poured upon -one spot, and then moved slowly up the line at the rate of 100 yards -in eight minutes, giving the garrison plenty of time to see and to -avoid it by a timely flight, which most of them preferred to do. -When the new position, which soon included Vitry, had been occupied, -some of the 2nd Middlesex scrambled across the Scarpe by a broken -bridge and took Mont Metier, the strong point on the left front of -the Canadians, in the rear, so as to help their future advance. The -total gain was not less than an average of three miles, with Cuincy -in the centre as the most advanced point. The German line was now -shattered, and though there were sporadic bickerings and resistance, -with a constant resource to the ignoble warfare of land mines and -booby traps, there was no serious battle. In a single day the -Tunnelling Companies, which were always ready for any desperate -service, removed 300 mines. On October 14 the Twelfth Division, -after a spirited attack, captured Auby on the left, while the -Canadians on the right had got up to the Douai Canal. On the 17th -the German line was clearly recoiling, and a personal reconnaisance -by Colonel {279} Roberts of the 1st Worcesters showed that there was -hope for an advance over the canal. At 2 P.M. accordingly the 2nd -Rifle Brigade went forward, and their patrols, with those of the 2nd -Middlesex, entered the historic old city of Douai, taking down the -German flag which was still flying from the town hall. "The town was -found to be fairly intact," says a general officer on the spot, "but -the inside of every house had been stripped of everything of value, -and what had not been removed had been smashed to atoms.... The -inside and reeds of the beautiful organ in the Cathedral had been -torn out, and lay in a heap on the floor." There is no doubt that -President Wilson's note on this subject had an effect in preventing -the destruction of towns from this time onwards, and that it was the -salvation of Douai. No inhabitants had been left in the town. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 17.] - -From this period the advance on this front was a slow but steady -triumphant progress. By the end of October the Eighth Division had -gone forward more than thirty miles since it started, and had -captured thirty-five towns and villages, including Douai, -Marchiennes, and St. Amand. Beyond being greatly plagued by -murderous explosive traps, 1400 of which were discovered, and being -much incommoded by the destruction of roads and bridges and by the -constant canals across its path, there was no very serious -resistance. Great floods early in November made the situation even -more difficult. On November 5 the Eighth Division was relieved by -the Fifty-second, and quitted the line for the last time. - -This splendid division has had some injustice done to it, since it -was the one Regular division in France {280} in 1914 which was -somewhat invidiously excluded from the very special and deserved -honours which were showered upon "the first seven divisions." But -even in 1914 it had done splendid work, and as to its performance in -the following years, and especially in 1918, when it was annihilated -twice over, it will live for ever, not only in the records of the -British Army, but in that of the French, by whose side it fought in -the direst crisis and darkest moment of the whole campaign. There -were no further movements of importance on the front of the Eighth -Corps, and the completion of their history covers the whole operation -of Horne's First Army in this final phase of the war. It was indeed -a strange freak of fate that this general, who commanded the guns of -the right wing at Mons in that momentous opening battle, should four -and a half years later be the commander who brought his victorious -British Army back to that very point. - -[Illustration: Allied Advance in the North] - - - - -{281} - -CHAPTER XI - -OPERATIONS OF THE SECOND AND FIFTH ARMIES - -September 28-November 11 - -King Albert in the field--Great Belgo-Franco-British advance--The -last act on the old stage--The prophet of 1915--Renewed -advance--Germans desert the coast--Relief of Douai and Lille--The -final stage of the subsidiary theatres of war. - - -We have followed the operations of the three southern British Armies -from the first blow on August 8--a blow which Ludendorff has stated -made him surrender the last hope of ultimate victory--through all -their uninterrupted progress of victory until the final armistice. -We shall now turn to the northern end of the British line, where the -two remaining Armies, the Fifth in the Nieppe district and the Second -in the area of Ypres, were waiting impatiently for their share in the -advance. Flanders was a convalescent home for divisions, and there -was not a unit there which was not stiff with half-healed wounds, but -these Armies included many of the grand old formations which had -borne the stress of the long fight, and they were filled with the -desire to join in the final phase. Their chance came at last, though -it was a belated one. - -[Sidenote: July.] - -There were many indications in the third week of July that the -Germans had planned one of their great attacks upon the front of -Birdwood's Fifth Army in {282} the Nieppe district. The succession -of blows which rained upon Hindenburg's line in the south made it -impossible, however, for him to attempt a new offensive. There was -considerable activity along the British line, and a constant nibbling -which won back by successive ventures much of the ground which had -been gained by the Germans in April. Early in July the Fifth -Division, forming the left unit of the Fifth Army, advanced from the -edge of Nieppe Forest, where they had lain since their return from -Italy, and gained a stretch of ground--the first sign of the coming -recoil in the north. To the left of them lay De Lisle's Fifteenth -Corps, which moved forward in turn, effecting a series of small but -important advances which were eclipsed by the larger events in the -south, but reacted upon those events, since they made it impossible -for the Germans to detach reinforcements. On July 19 the Ninth -Division with a sudden spring seized Meteren with 453 prisoners, -while on the same date the First Australian Division occupied Merris -to the south of it. On August 9 the movement spread farther south, -and the Thirty-first Division took Vieux Berquin. There was a slow -steady retraction of the German line from this time onwards, and a -corresponding advance of the British. On August 30 the ruins of -Bailleul passed into the hands of the Twenty-ninth Division. On -September 1 Neuve Eglise was submerged by the creeping tide, while on -the 3rd Nieppe also was taken. Finally on September 4 two brigades -of the Twenty-ninth Division, the 88th under Freyberg and the 86th -under Cheape, captured Ploegsteert by a very smart concerted movement -in which 250 prisoners were taken. Up to this date De Lisle's -Fifteenth Corps had {283} advanced ten miles with no check, and had -almost restored the original battle line in that quarter--a feat for -which M. Clemenceau awarded the General special thanks and the Legion -of Honour. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 28.] - -All was ready now for the grand assault which began on September 28 -and was carried out by the Belgians and French in the north and by -Plumer's Second British Army in the south. The left of this great -force was formed by nine Belgian and five French infantry divisions, -with three French cavalry divisions in reserve. The British Army -consisted of four corps: Jacob's Second Corps covering Ypres, Watts' -Nineteenth Corps opposite Hollebeke, Stephens' Tenth Corps facing -Messines, and De Lisle's Fifteenth Corps to the south of it. The -divisions which made up each of these Corps will be enumerated as -they come into action. To complete the array of the British forces -it should be said that Birdwood's Fifth Army, which linked up the -First Army in the south and the Second in the north, consisted at -that date of Haking's Eleventh and Holland's First Corps covering the -Armentières-Lens front, and not yet joining in the operations. The -whole operation was under the command of the chivalrous King of the -Belgians, who had the supreme satisfaction of helping to give the -_coup de grâce_ to the ruffianly hordes who had so long ill-used his -unfortunate subjects. - -The operations of the Belgians and of the French to the north of the -line do not come within the scope of this narrative save in so far as -they affected the British line. General Plumer's attack was directed -from the Ypres front, and involved on September 28, two Corps, the -Second on the north and the Nineteenth on the south. The order of -divisions {284} from the left was the Ninth (Tudor) and the -Twenty-ninth (Cayley), with the Thirty-sixth Ulsters (Coffin) in -reserve. These constituted Jacob's Second Corps, which was attacking -down the old Menin Road. South of this point came the Thirty-fifth -(Marindin) and the Fourteenth Division (Skinner), with Lawford's -Forty-first Division in support. These units made up Watts' -Nineteenth Corps. On the left of Jacob's was the Belgian Sixth -Division, and on the right of Watts' the British Tenth Corps, which -was ordered to undertake a subsidiary operation which will presently -be described. We shall now follow the main advance. - -This was made without any bombardment at 5 in the morning of -September 28, behind a heavy barrage which swept eastwards at the -rate of 100 yards every three minutes. The Germans had clearly sent -away reinforcements to the south and were weak in numbers as well as -in spirit. The result was a very complete victory all along the -line, and before evening Plumer's men had passed over all the ground -which had been previously contested. For the last time the roar of -battle went down the old Menin Road and rose from historic Gheluvelt. -The Ninth and Twenty-ninth Divisions swept everything before them, -and before evening it was not only Gheluvelt but Zandvoorde, -Kruiseik, and Becelaere which had passed into their possession. The -Belgians on the left had cleared the whole of Houthulst Forest, that -lowering menace which had hung so long before their line. Zonnebeke -and Poelcappelle had also passed into the hands of the Allies. It -was a great victory, and it was not marred by heavy losses to the -victors. Those of Jacob's Corps were not more than 1100, while their -prisoners {285} were 2100. The total of prisoners came to 10,000, -with more than 100 guns. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 29.] - -On September 29 the advance was resumed with ever-increasing success -all along the line. The Scots of the Ninth Division, working in -close liaison with the Belgians, got Waterdamhoek, and detached one -brigade to help our Allies in taking Moorslede, while another took -Dadizeele, both of them far beyond our previous limits. The -Twenty-ninth Division still pushed along the line of the Menin Road, -while the Thirty-sixth Ulsters fought their way into Terhand. In -this quarter alone in front of Jacob's Second Corps fifty guns had -been taken. Meanwhile the Nineteenth Corps on the right was gaining -the line of the Lys River, having taken Zandvoorde and Hollebeke; -while the Thirty-fourth and Thirtieth Divisions of the Tenth Corps -were into Wytschaete and up to Messines, and the Thirty-first -Division of the Fifteenth Corps was in St. Yves. In these southern -sectors there was no attempt to force the pace, but in the north the -tide was setting swiftly eastwards. By the evening of September 29 -Ploegsteert Wood was cleared and Messines was occupied once again. -The rain had started, as is usual with Flemish offensives, and the -roads were almost impossible: but by the evening of October 1 the -whole left bank of the Lys from Comines southward had been cleared. -On that date there was a notable hardening of the German resistance, -and the Second Corps had some specially fierce fighting. The Ulsters -found a tough nut to crack in Hill 41, which they gained twice and -lost twice before it was finally their own. The Ninth Division -captured Ledeghem, but was pushed to the west of it again by a strong -counter-attack. Clearly {286} a temporary equilibrium was about to -be established, but already the advance constituted a great victory, -the British alone having 5000 prisoners and 100 guns to their credit. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 2, Oct 14.] - -In the meantime Birdwood's Fifth Army, which had remained stationary -between the advancing lines of the Second Army in Flanders and of the -First Army south of Lens, began also to join in the operations. The -most successful military prophet in a war which has made military -prophecy a by-word, was a certain German regimental officer who was -captured in the La Bassée district about 1915, and who, being asked -when he thought the war would finish, replied that he could not say -when it would finish, but that he had an opinion as to where it would -finish, and that would be within a mile of where he was captured. It -was a shrewd forecast based clearly upon the idea that each side -would exhaust itself and neither line be forced, so that a compromise -peace would become necessary. For three years after his dictum it -still remained as a possibility, but now at last, within six weeks of -the end, La Bassée was forced, and early in October Ritchie's -Sixteenth Division, the Fifty-fifth West Lancashire Territorials, and -the Nineteenth Division under Jeffreys, were all pressing on in this -quarter, with no very great resistance. South of Lens the Twentieth -Division (Carey) had been transferred from the left of the First Army -to the right of the Fifth, and this had some sharp fighting on -October 2 at Mericourt and Acheville. Both north and south of the -ruined coal capital the British infantry was steadily pushing on, -pinching the place out, since it was bristling with machine-guns and -very {287} formidable if directly attacked. The Twelfth Division -(Higginson), fresh from severe service in the south and anaemic from -many wounds, occupied 11,000 yards between Oppy and Lens from October -7 onwards. Their orders were to press the enemy at the first sign of -retreat. All three brigades were in the line, each with its own -artillery, to give greater independence. The German withdrawal was -gradual but there was some hard rearguard fighting, especially at the -strong line of the Haute Deule Canal. There was little cover for the -troops at this point save where some ruined hamlets screened their -ranks. These flat levels leading up to wire and water could have -been made a Golgotha had the Germans been of the old temper, but they -were oppressed by the general wilting of their line. The 1st -Cambridge captured Auby on October 14 and so got to the edge of the -Canal. On the 16th the 5th Berks got across the broken bridge at -Pont-a-Sault, though they could hardly deploy upon the farther side. -After this date the only obstacle to the advance was the supply -question, for the villagers were all clamouring for food and sharing -the scanty rations of the soldiers. On October 23 the Scarpe was -crossed, Lieutenant Egerton of the 87th Field Company R.E. gallantly -bridging the stream and losing his life in the effort. The 6th West -Kents got across at Nivelle, but had the misfortune to lose their -splendid commander, Colonel Dawson, who had already been wounded six -times in the course of the war. Upon October 23 the Twelfth was -relieved by the Fifty-second Division upon this front. - -The attack in the north had been held partly by the vile weather and -partly by the increased German {288} resistance. The Twenty-ninth -Division had got into Gheluvelt but was unable to retain it. The -enemy counter-attacks were frequent and fierce, while the impossible -roads made the supplies, especially of cartridges, a very serious -matter. The worn and rutted Menin Road had to conduct all the -traffic of two Army Corps. No heavy artillery could be got up to -support the weary infantry, who were cold and wet, without either -rest or cover. Time was needed, therefore, to prepare a further -attack, and it was October 14 before it was ready. Then, as before, -the Belgians, French, and British attacked in a single line, the -advance extending along the whole Flemish front between the Lys River -at Comines and Dixmude in the north, the British section being about -ten miles from Comines to the Menin-Roulers Road. - -Three British Corps were engaged, the Second (Jacob), the Nineteenth -(Watts), and the Tenth (Stephens), the divisions, counting from the -south, being the Thirtieth, Thirty-fourth, Forty-first, Thirty-fifth, -Thirty-sixth, Twenty-ninth, and Ninth. The three latter divisions, -forming the front of Jacob's Corps, came away with a splendid rush in -spite of the heavy mud and soon attained their immediate objectives. -Gulleghem, in front of the Ulsters, was defended by three belts of -wire, garnished thickly with machine-guns, but it was taken none the -less, though it was not completely occupied until next day. Salines -had fallen to the Twenty-ninth Division, and by the early afternoon -of October 15 both divisions were to the east of Heule. Meanwhile -Cuerne and Hulste had been cleared by the Ninth Division, the 1st -Yorkshire Cyclists playing a gallant {289} part in the former -operation. The net result was that in this part of the line all the -troops had reached the Lys either on the evening of September 15 or -on the morning of September 16. - -The advance in the south had been equally successful, though there -were patches where the resistance was very stiff. The 103rd Brigade -on the left of the Thirty-fourth Division enveloped and captured -Gheluwe and were afterwards held up by field-guns firing over open -sights until they were taken by a rapid advance of the 5th Scottish -Borderers and the 8th Scottish Rifles. The 102nd Brigade made a -lodgment in the western outskirts of Menin, which was fully occupied -on the next day, patrols being at once pushed across the Lys. These -were hard put to it to hold on until they were relieved later in the -day by the Thirtieth Division. Wevelghem was cleared on the 15th, -and on the 16th both the Ninth and Thirty-sixth Divisions established -bridge-heads across the river, but in both cases were forced to -withdraw them. In the north the Belgians had reached Iseghem and -Cortemarck, while the French were round Roulers. By the night of -October 15 Thourout was surrounded, and the Germans on the coast, -seeing the imminent menace to their communications, began to blow up -their guns and stores preparatory to their retreat. On October 17 -the left of the Allied line was in Ostend, and on the 20th it had -extended to the Dutch border. Thus after four years of occupation -the Germans said farewell for ever to those salt waters of the west -which they had fondly imagined to be their permanent advanced post -against Great Britain. The main tentacle of the octopus had been -disengaged, {290} and the whole huge, perilous creature was shrinking -back to the lairs from which it had emerged. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 20.] - -Events were now following each other in very rapid succession as the -pressure upon the flanks increased. On the one side it was Ostend; -on the other, as already recorded, it was Douai, which the Eighth -Division had entered on October 17. Finally, on the morning of -October 18, Haking's Eleventh Corps from Birdwood's Army held Lille -in their grasp. The Fifty-seventh and Fifty-ninth Divisions were -north and south of the town, which was occupied before evening, to -the immense joy of the liberated inhabitants. Meanwhile De Lisle's -Fifteenth Corps pushed on in the north and occupied both Roubaix and -Tourcoing. There was little resistance to these operations, for the -Flemish advance on one side and that to Le Cateau on the other had -made the position of the German garrisons impossible. By October 22 -the troops were on the line of the Escaut from Valenciennes to -Avelghem. - -[Sidenote: Oct. 25.] - -Though the advance of Birdwood's Army was comparatively bloodless -there was still some obstinate fighting in the north, and the -divisions which forced the Lys had by no means a holiday task. This -operation was carried out on October 20 and 21, and owing to some -delay on the part of the French Seventh Corps in getting into -position the flank of the Thirty-sixth Ulster Division was exposed to -enfilade fire which caused great loss. As the Ulsters advanced -across the river they had to throw back a defensive flank 6000 yards -deep before evening of the 21st. On the 22nd the Germans were still -fighting stoutly, and delivered at least one {291} dangerous -counter-attack by storm-troops, while on the 25th they brought a new -division, the Twenty-third Reserve, an old opponent of early Ypres -days, into the line, and held their ground well. There were changes -in the British fighting line also, as the Thirty-first relieved the -Twenty-ninth, while the Thirty-fourth, coming from the south, took -the place of the Ulsters. - -These two divisions attacked once more on October 31, the -Thirty-first surrounding Caster while the Thirty-fourth captured -Anseghem, the 8th Scottish Rifles forcing their way into the town, -and joining up with the French at Winterkan. That evening the enemy -retired across the Escaut, and the line was definitely made good. -The bridges over the river had been destroyed, but the French were -advancing rapidly from the north, and on November 2 had reached -Driesen and Peterghem. They then extended south and took over the -whole front of the Second Corps, joining up with the left of the -Nineteenth Corps. The Second Corps drew out from its last battle, -having since the advance began captured 7500 prisoners and 150 guns, -at a loss to itself of 11,000 casualties. At this period the -operations of the north may be said to have reached their term. - -The weight of the campaign never fell fully upon Birdwood's Fifth -Army, but it was comprised of divisions which had been knocked to -pieces elsewhere and which would not have been battle-worthy at all -had they not been of splendid individual material. Some of them were -actually called B divisions, but upon one of them doing thirty-three -miles in thirty hours it was decreed by their General {292} that such -an invidious title must cease. The Portuguese troops accompanied the -British in the Fifth Army. There was a good deal of discontent in -the ranks of this contingent, largely due to the fact that it was -impossible to grant the men the same privileges in the way of leave -as were given to the officers. By a great concession they were -broken up, however, among the British brigades, with the result that -they did very well during the last phases of the fighting. The fact -that General Birdwood with his depleted and inexperienced divisions -was able to drive the Germans through Merville, Estaires, La Bassée, -and on over the Aubers Ridge and out of Lille, forcing the Scheldt -and reaching as far as Ath, will always be a memorable military -exploit. It is on record that the last bag of prisoners by this Army -was at 10.57 on the 11th November, three minutes before time. - -On November 15 Marshal Foch visited the Headquarters of the Fifth -Army, and his remarks on that occasion were meant, no doubt, to apply -to the whole British line. "Your soldiers," he said, "continued to -march when they were exhausted, and they fought, and fought well, -when they were worn out. It is with such indomitable will that the -war has been won. At the moment of ceasing hostilities the enemy -troops were demoralised and disorganised and their lines of -communication were in a state of chaos. Had we continued the war for -another fortnight we might have won a most wonderful and complete -military victory. But it would have been inhuman to risk the lives -of one of our soldiers unnecessarily. The Germans asked for an -armistice. We renounced the certainty of further military glory and -gave it {293} to them. I am deeply sensible of the fact that Lille -was delivered without damage to the town, and I am grateful for the -help given so generously to the inhabitants." - -So ended the Great War in the northern sector. It need not be said -that while the British had been attacking again and again in the -manner described, taking no heed of their own losses and exhaustion -so long as they could bring the tottering giant to his knees, the -French and the Americans were advancing in unison. The work of the -latter in the wooded region of the Argonne was especially difficult -and also especially vital, as its effect was to cut in upon the -German rear and to narrow the pass through which the great multitude -must make their escape from the lands which they had so wantonly -invaded. On September 12 the Americans had shown their quality by -their successful attack upon the St. Mihiel salient. In the advance -of the Argonne the American attack extended over several weeks, was -often held up, and furnished more than a hundred thousand casualties, -but General Pershing and his men showed a splendid tenacity which -carried them at last through all their difficulties, so that the end -of the war, which their exertions had undoubtedly helped to hasten, -found them with their line in Sedan and biting deeply into the German -flank. - -Before entering upon the terms of the Armistice and describing the -subsequent conditions of peace, representing the final fruits of all -the terrible sacrifices of these years of alternate hope and fear, -one last glance must be cast round at the other fields of the great -struggle--Italian, Salonican, Syrian, and Mesopotamian--all of which -were decided at the {294} same moment. It could almost be believed -that some final spiritual fiat had gone forth placing an allotted -term upon the slaughter, so simultaneous was the hostile collapse on -every front. In Italy General Diaz, who had succeeded General -Cadorna after the disaster of Caporetto, made a grand and victorious -attack on October 25. It was a great military achievement, and -justified those who had always upheld the fine quality of the Italian -Army. The Austrian forces were superior in number, being roughly a -million against nine hundred thousand, but they were inferior in gun -power. Diaz cleverly concentrated his forces so as to have a local -superiority in the central sector, but his difficulties were still -very great, since a stream a mile broad lay before him, shallow in -parts but deepening to five feet even at the best fords. A long -island, the Grave di Papadopoli, lay near the hostile shore, and this -was seized on the night of the 24th October by the 1st Welsh -Fusiliers and the 2/lst Honourable Artillery Company, who held on in -spite of a severe shelling and so established an advanced base for -the Army. Early on October 25 crossings were made at all points, and -though the bridges were frequently shot away by the Austrian guns, -and one corps was unable to get a single man across, none the less -those who had reached the other side, including Babington's -Fourteenth Corps, which had the Seventh and Twenty-third British -Divisions in the line, with the Thirty-seventh Italian Division, made -excellent headway. By the evening of October 29 this Fourteenth -Corps, which had been held up by having its left flank exposed -through the failure of the Eighth Corps to cross the river, found a -brave comrade in {295} the Italian Eighteenth Corps which lined up -with it and crashed its way right through the Kaiserstellung position -forming the battle zone of the Austrian line, It was a very complete -victory, and broadened to such an extent during the next few days -that by November 2 the whole Austrian army had ceased to exist, and -700,000 men with 7000 guns were in the hands of the victors. Not -only had they regained by arms all the ground they had lost a year -before, but Trieste surrendered on November 3 and was occupied from -the sea. Trento had also been taken in the north, so that the two -goals of Italian ambition had both been reached. Every part of the -Italian line had been equally victorious from the Alps to the sea, -and great valour was shown by every formation, as well as by the -French and British contingents. The British Forty-eighth Division -was engaged in the northern sector, far from its comrades, and -carried through its complete objective in a manner worthy of so -veteran a unit, which had learned its soldiering in the hard school -of the Somme and of Flanders. On November 3 the final Armistice was -signed by the Austrians, by which they withdrew into their own -country and waited there for the final terms of the victors. - -On September 12 began the great Franco-Serbian advance on the -Salonican front--a front which had been greatly strengthened by the -accession of the Greek forces. Under General Franchet d'Esperey and -Marshal Misitch there was an advance on a front of sixteen miles, -penetrating occasionally to a depth of four miles. By September 17 -this had extended to a depth of twelve miles, and it was clear that a -decisive movement was on foot. On {296} September 18 the British and -Greek troops joined in on the Lake Doiran sector, and the Bulgarians -were retreating along their whole front of a hundred miles. General -Milne's troops were the first to cross the Bulgarian border, after a -very severe action in which some units sustained heavy losses. All -the Allied nations were advancing swiftly, and it was clear that the -end was near. On September 30 the Bulgarian nation, misled by its -own unscrupulous ambitions and by its unsavoury king, sent in its -surrender, retired from the conflict, and waited to hear what the -final punishment of its misdeeds might be. Thus fell the first of -the four pillars of the Central Alliance. - -The fate of Turkey was not long delayed. On September 19 General -Allenby, who had halted long upon the line of Jerusalem while he -gathered his forces for a supreme and final effort, gave the word for -a fresh advance. The victory which followed will perhaps be -accounted the most completely scientific and sweeping of the whole -war. With his mixed force of British, Indians, Australians and -smaller Allied contingents, Allenby broke through the enemy's lines -near the coast, and then despatched his splendid cavalry towards -Damascus in a wild pursuit which can hardly be matched for calculated -temerity. Some of the troopers in that wonderful ride are said to -have accomplished seventy to eighty miles in the twenty-four hours. -The result was that a strong force was thrown across the Turkish rear -and that their Seventh and Eighth Armies were practically -annihilated. In the final tally no less than 80,000 men and 250 guns -were in the hands of the victors. It was a shattering blow. -Damascus was occupied, the Turks {297} were driven pell-mell out of -Syria, General Marshall advanced in Mesopotamia, and Turkey was -finally brought to her knees after a battle on the Tigris in which -her last army was destroyed. On October 30 she signed an armistice -by which the Allied fleets might enter the Dardanelles and occupy -Constantinople, while all Allied prisoners should at once be -returned. As in the case of the Germans the feelings with which the -Allies, and especially the British, regarded the Turks were greatly -embittered by their consistent brutality to the unfortunate captives -whom the fortune of war had placed in their hands. There can be no -peace and no sense of justice in the world until these crimes have -been absolutely expiated. The last spark of sympathy which Britain -retained for her old Oriental ally was extinguished for ever by the -long-drawn murder of the prisoners of Kut. It should be added that -the small German force in East Africa still continued to dodge the -pursuing columns, and that it was intact in Rhodesia at the time when -the general collapse compelled it to lay down its arms. It was a -most remarkable achievement, this resistance of four years when cut -away from a base, and reflects great credit upon General von -Lettow-Vorbeck, whose name should certainly shine among the future -reconstructors of Germany. - -As to naval matters there is nothing to be said save that the -submarine trouble had been greatly ameliorated by the splendid work -of the Navy, much assisted by the American destroyers. The blockade -was still rigorously enforced, and had much to do with the general -German collapse. There was some hope that the German fleet would -come out and that a more decisive Jutland might adorn the finish -{298} of the war, but the plans of the German officers were marred by -the insubordination of the German men, and there was no heroic -gesture to dignify the end of the great useless fleet, the most fatal -and futile of all Germany's creations, for its possession led her to -her ruin. - - - - -{299} - -CHAPTER XII - -THE END - -Before entering into the terms of the Armistice it may be instructive -to give some short outline of the course of events at the German -Headquarters which led to so sudden and dramatic a collapse. No -doubt the political and economic state of Germany was very bad, but -the disaster was primarily a military one, as is clearly shown by the -subsequent White Book published after the declaration of peace. This -compilation shows that the arrogance with which the military leaders -spoke during their successful offensive, and down to the middle of -July, had changed in the short space of ten weeks to such utter -despair that on October 1 they were sending urgent messages to Berlin -that the war was to be closed down at any cost, and that even such -questions as the loss of the German colonies and the cession of -Alsace-Lorraine were not to weigh in the balance against the -imperative necessity of staving off a tremendous military disaster. -The inclined plane seems to have taken an abrupt tilt on August 14, -after the first successful British advance, when it was decided to -take the opportunity of the next German success to ask for peace. No -success arrived, however, but rather a long succession of disasters, -and Hertling, the dotard Chancellor, was unable to make up his {300} -mind what to do, so that matters were allowed to drift from bad to -worse. Early in October it was announced from General Headquarters -that a break through might occur at any moment. Prince Max of Baden -had been made Chancellor on the understanding that he would at once -appeal to President Wilson for a cessation of hostilities, which was -the more urgent as Bulgaria had already dropped out of the war and -Austria was on her last legs. As might have been foreseen, President -Wilson refused to treat without the concurrence of his Allies, and -some improvement in the German defensive line enabled them to hold on -until early November, when their needs once again became -overpowering, and the great twin-brethren Hindenburg and Ludendorff -finally admitted defeat. Then followed in quick succession events -which are political and outside the scope of this record--the -revolution in the Fatherland, the flight of the Kaiser and of the -Crown Prince into Holland, and the advance of the Allied armies, -under the terms of the Armistice, to the left bank of the Rhine. - -Some account should, however, be given of the circumstances under -which the Armistice was signed, and the drastic terms which were -exacted by the Allies, the fit preliminaries to a peace founded upon -a stern justice. It was at nine o'clock on the evening of Thursday, -November 7, that the German delegates, led by the ambiguous and -scheming Erzberger, travelling along shell-broken roads, under the -glare of searchlights and signal-fires, entered within the French -lines near La Capelle. The roar of the battle in their rear was a -constant reminder of the urgency of their mission. They came no -farther than Marshal Foch's travelling headquarters, where they were -met {301} by the Marshal himself, with Admiral Wemyss to represent -that British sea-power which had done so much to promote this -interview. The proceedings were short and strained. A proposition -for a truce was waved aside by the victors, and a list of terms was -presented which made the German delegates realise, if they had failed -to do so before, the abyss into which their country had been -precipitated by two generations of madmen. Disgrace abroad, -revolution at home, a fugitive monarch, a splitting empire, a -disbanding army, a mutinous fleet--these were the circumstances under -which Germany ended her bid for the dictatorship of the world. - -At 5 A.M. on Monday, November 11, the Armistice was signed, and at 11 -A.M., as already recorded, the last shot of the greatest war that -ever has been, or in all probability ever will be, had been fired. -London and Paris were at last relieved from their terrific strain, -and none who witnessed them can forget the emotions and rejoicings of -the day. Those who had not realised the complete collapse of the -Colossus were surprised at the severity of the terms which had been -accepted in such haste. All invaded territory had to be cleared -within fourteen days. All Allied prisoners to be at once returned, -while those of Germany were retained. The left bank of the Rhine, -together with ample bridge-heads, to be handed over, as a temporary -measure, to the Allies, the Belgians holding the north, the British -the Cologne area, the Americans the Coblentz area, and the French, -Strasburg, with all Alsace-Lorraine. All danger of a continuation of -the struggle was averted by the immediate surrender of 5000 guns, -30,000 machine-guns, and 2000 aeroplanes, together with {302} great -numbers of locomotives, lorries, waggons, and barges. All Roumanian, -Russian, and other forced treaties were abrogated. East Africa was -to be evacuated. All submarines and a large portion of the German -navy were to be handed over to the care of the Allies until peace -terms should decide their ultimate fate. The blockade was to -continue. Such were the main points of the Armistice which -foreshadowed the rigorous peace to come. - -It was not until January 11, 1919, that the delegates from the -various interested nations assembled in Paris, and their -deliberations, which seemed long to us, but may appear hasty and -ill-considered to our descendants, terminated on May 7, a most -dramatic date, being the anniversary of that sinking of the -_Lusitania_ which will always be recorded as the supreme instance of -German barbarity. So stringent were the terms that the Scheidemann -Government resigned and left the unpleasant task of ratification to a -cabinet of nobodies, with Herr Bauer at their head. So long as the -firm signed, it mattered nothing to the Allies which particular -partner was the representative. There was higgling and wriggling up -to the last moment, and some small concessions were actually gained. -The final results were briefly as follows: - -1. Two new countries shall be formed--Poland in the north and -Czecho-Slovakia in the south, the former largely at the expense of -Germany, the latter of Austria. Germany shall contribute to the -building up of Poland the districts of West Prussia and Posen, both -of which are historically Polish. The important district of Upper -Silesia--the prized conquest of Frederick from Maria Theresa--was -left indeterminate, its fate to be decided by the people's will. - -{303} - -2. The northern portion of Schleswig shall revert to Denmark, from -which it was taken. - -3. Alsace-Lorraine shall be returned to France, and that country -shall receive for a time the produce of the Saar coal-fields as -recompense for the destruction of her own coal-fields by the Germans. - -Thus on each side, Germany was trimmed down to the lands inhabited by -Germans, the Danes, the Poles, and the French borderers being -emancipated. When next they march to war they will not swell their -ranks by unwilling conscripts forced to fight against their own -friends and interests. - -4. Every effort was made by the treaty to disarm Germany, and to -prevent her in the future from plotting the destruction of her -neighbours. Those sudden irruptions of 1864, 1866, 1870, and 1914 -were to be stopped once and for ever--if indeed we can place final -terms upon a phenomenon which dates back to the days of the Roman -republic. - -The German General Staff--that dangerous _imperium in imperio_--was -to be dissolved. The army should be only sufficiently powerful to -keep internal order and to control the frontiers. Compulsory service -was abolished, and the manhood of Germany--to the probable detriment -of all trade competitors--was dedicated to the arts of peace. The -import and export of war material were forbidden, and the great -war-god, Krupp, lay prostrate in his shrine at Essen. All submarines -were forbidden. The navy was limited to thirty-six vessels of -mediocre strength. Zeppelins were to be handed over. German cables, -fourteen in number, and all German oversea possessions passed into -the hands of the Allies. With such terms, if the Allies continue to -stand together and {304} guarantee their enforcement, the Frenchman -may look eastward without a tremor, and the mists of the North Sea -can cloud no menace for our islands. For many a long year to come -the formidable military history of Germany has reached its close. A -clause which dealt with the trial of all military offenders, -including the Kaiser, concluded the more important items of the -Treaty. - -So at last the dark cloud of war, which had seemed so endless and so -impenetrable as it covered the whole heavens from the Eastern horizon -to the Western, passed and drifted beyond us, while a dim sun in a -cold sky was the first herald of better times. Laden with debt, -heart-heavy for its lost ones, with every home shaken and every -industry dislocated, its hospitals filled with broken men, its -hoarded capital all wasted upon useless engines--such was the world -which the accursed German Kultur had left behind it. Here was the -crop reaped from those navy bills and army estimates, those frantic -professors and wild journalists, those heavy-necked, sword-trailing -generals, those obsequious, arrogant courtiers, and the vain, swollen -creature whom they courted. Peace had come at last--if such a name -can be given to a state where international bitterness will long -continue, and where within each frontier the bulk of mankind, shaken -by these great events from the ruts of custom, contend fiercely for -some selfish advantage out of the general chaos. In the East, -Russia, like some horrible invertebrate creature, entangles itself -with its own tentacles, and wrestles against itself with such -intricate convulsions that one can hardly say which attacks or which -defends, which is living or which already dead. But the world swings -on the divine {305} cycle. He who made the planet from the fire-mist -is still at work moulding with set and sustained purpose the -destinies of a universe which at every stage can only reach the -higher through its combat with the lower. - -Here the historian's task is done. It has occupied and alleviated -many heavy days. Whatever its sins of omission it should surely -contain some trace of the spirit of the times, since many a chapter -was written to the rumble of the distant guns, and twice the author -was able to leave his desk and then return with such inspiration as -an actual view of the battlefields could afford him. The whole -British line in 1916, the Soissons and Ardennes positions of the -French, the Carnic Alps, the Trentino, and the Isonzo positions of -the Italians were all visited in turn; while in 1918, as recorded, -the crowning mercy of September 29 was actually witnessed by the -writer. He lays down his pen at last with the deep conviction that -the final results of this great convulsion are meant to be spiritual -rather than material, and that upon an enlightened recognition of -this depends the future history of mankind. Not to change rival -frontiers, but to mould the hearts and spirits of men--there lie the -explanation and the justification of all that we have endured. The -system which left seven million dead upon the fields of Europe must -be rotten to the core. Time will elapse before the true message is -mastered, but when that day arrives the war of 1914 may be regarded -as the end of the dark ages and the start of that upward path which -leads away from personal or national selfishness towards the City -Beautiful upon the distant hills. - - - - -{307} - -APPENDIX - -The following account of some personal experiences on the day when -the Hindenburg Line was finally broken--the most important day, -perhaps, in the whole war--may possibly be worthy of the decent -obscurity of an appendix, though it is too slight and too personal -for the pages of a serious chronicle. It is appended for what it is -worth, reprinted with a few additions from the columns of _The -Times_:-- - - Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord, - He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored. - - -The grand, sonorous, mystical lines of Julia Ward Howe rang in my -head as I found myself by most unlooked-for chance an actual -eyewitness of this, one of the historical episodes of the greatest of -wars. Yes, with my own eyes I saw the rent while the men who made it -were still pushing forward from the farther side of it. - -Even now I can hardly realise that it was so. A kindly invitation -from the Australian Government explains my presence on their front, -while the energy and goodwill of a helpful soldier on the spot, a -captain of Australian Artillery, brought about the rest. Let me try -to transcribe what I saw. - -It was about 11 o'clock when we reached the edge of the battle-field -on Sunday, September 29. "We" refers to Sir Joseph Cook, Colonial -statesman, Commander Latham, the Australian Naval Attaché, and -myself, with Captain Plunket, a twice-wounded Australian officer, as -our shepherd. - -The programme of the day was already clear in our heads. American -Divisions were to rush the front line. The Australian {308} -Divisions were to pass through them, and carry the battle front -forward. Already as we arrived the glad news came back that the -Americans had done their part, and that the Australians had just been -unleashed. Also that the Germans were standing to it like men. - -As our car threaded the crowded street between the ruins of Templeux -we met the wounded coming back, covered cars with nothing visible -save protruding boots, and a constant stream of pedestrians, some -limping, some with bandaged arms and faces, some supported by Red -Cross men, a few in pain, most of them smiling grimly behind their -cigarettes. Amid them came the first clump of prisoners, fifty or -more, pitiable enough, and yet I could not pity them, the weary, -shuffling, hang-dog creatures, with no touch of nobility in their -features or their bearing. - -The village was full of Americans and Australians, extraordinarily -like each other in type. One could well have lingered, for it was -all of great interest, but there were even greater interests ahead, -so we turned up a hill, left our car, which had reached its limit, -and proceeded on foot. The road took us through a farm, where a -British anti-aircraft battery stood ready for action. Then we found -open plain, and went forward, amid old trenches and rusty wire, in -the direction of the battle. - -We had now passed the heavy gun positions, and were among the -field-guns, so that the noise was deafening. A British howitzer -battery was hard at work, and we stopped to chat with the major. His -crews had been at it for six hours, but were in great good-humour, -and chuckled mightily when the blast of one of their guns nearly -drove in our eardrums, we having got rather too far forward. The -effect was that of a ringing box on the exposed ear--with which -valediction we left our grinning British gunners and pushed on to the -east, under a screaming canopy of our own shells. The wild, empty -waste of moor was broken by a single shallow quarry or gravel-pit, in -which we could see some movement. In it we found an advanced -dressing station, with about a hundred American and Australian -gunners and orderlies. {309} There were dug-outs in the sides of -this flat excavation, and it had been an American battalion H.Q. up -to a few hours before. We were now about a thousand yards from the -Hindenburg Line, and I learned with emotion that this spot was the -Egg Redoubt, one of those advanced outposts of General Gough's Army -which suffered so tragic and glorious a fate in that great military -epic of March 21--one of the grandest in the whole war. The fact -that we were now actually standing in the Egg Redoubt showed me, as -nothing else could have done, how completely the ground had been -recovered, and how the day of retribution was at hand. - -We were standing near the eastward lip of the excavation, and looking -over it, when it was first brought to our attention that it took two -to make a battle. Up to now we had seen only one. Now two shells -burst in quick succession forty yards in front of us, and a spray of -earth went into the air. "Whizz-bangs," remarked our soldier-guide -casually. Personally, I felt less keenly interested in their name -than in the fact that they were there at all. - -We thought we had done pretty well to get within 1000 yards of the -famous line, but now came a crowning bit of good fortune, for an -Australian gunner captain, a mere lad, but a soldier from his hawk's -eyes to his active feet, volunteered to rush us forward to some coign -of vantage known to himself. So it was Eastward Ho! once more, still -over a dull, barren plain sloping gently upwards, with little sign of -life. Here and there was the quick fluff of a bursting shell, but at -a comforting distance. Suddenly ahead of us a definite object broke -the sky-line. It was a Tank, upon which the crew were working with -spanners and levers, for its comrades were now far ahead, and it -would fain follow. This, it seems, was the grand stand which our -young gunner had selected. On to the top of it we clambered--and -there, at our very feet and less than 500 yards away, was the rift -which had been torn a few hours before in the Hindenburg line. On -the dun slope beyond it, under our very eyes, was even now being -fought a part of that great fight where at last the children of light -were beating down into the earth the forces of darkness. It {310} -was there. We could see it. And yet how little there was to see! - -The ridge was passed and the ground sloped down, as dark and heathy -as Hindhead. In front of us lay a village. It was Bellicourt. The -Hindenburg position ran through it. It lay quiet enough, and with -the unaided eye one could see rusty red fields of wire in front of -it. But the wire had availed nothing, nor had the trench that lurked -behind it, for beyond it, beside the village of Nauroy, there was a -long white line, clouds of pale steam-like vapour spouting up against -a dark, rain-sodden sky. "The Boche smoke barrage," said our guide. -"They are going to counter-attack." Only this, the long, white, -swirling cloud upon the dark plain, told of the strife in front of -us. With my glasses I saw what looked like Tanks, but whether -wrecked or in action I could not say. There was the battle--the -greatest of battles--but nowhere could I see a moving figure. It is -true that all the noises of the Pit seemed to rise from that lonely -landscape, but noise was always with us, go where we would. - -The Australians were ahead where that line of smoke marked their -progress. In the sloping fields, which at that point emerged out of -the moor, the victorious Americans, who had done their part, were -crouching. It was an assured victory upon which we gazed, achieved -so rapidly that we were ourselves standing far forward in ground -which had been won that day. The wounded had been brought in, and I -saw no corpses, though some friends who had reached the line to our -left found eighteen American lads lying dead by the roadside. On -that side the fight was very severe, and the Germans, who had been -hidden in their huge dug-outs, were doing their usual trick of -emerging and cutting off the attack. So much we gathered afterwards, -but for the moment it was the panorama before us which was engrossing -all our thoughts. - -Suddenly the German guns woke up. I can but pray that it was not our -group which drew their fire upon the half-mended Tank. Shell after -shell fell in its direction, all of them short, but creeping forward -with each salvo. It was time for us to go. If any man says that -without a call of {311} duty he likes being under aimed shell-fire, -he is not a man whose word I would trust. Some of the shells burst -with a rusty red outflame, and we were told that they were gas -shells. I may say that before we were admitted on to the -battle-field at all, we were ushered one by one into a room where -some devil's pipkin was bubbling in the corner, and were taught to -use our gas-masks by the simple expedient of telling us that if we -failed to acquire the art then and there a very painful alternative -was awaiting us. - -We made our way back, with no indecent haste, but certainly without -loitering, across the plain, the shells always getting rather nearer, -until we came to the excavation. Here we had a welcome rest, for our -good gunner took us into his cubby-hole of a dug-out, which would at -least stop shrapnel, and we shared his tea and dried beef, a true -Australian soldier's meal. - -The German fire was now rather heavy, and our expert host explained -that this meant that he had recovered from the shock of the attack, -had reorganised his guns, and was generally his merry self once more. -From where we sat we could see heavy shells bursting far to our rear, -and there was a general atmosphere of explosion all round us, which -might have seemed alarming had it not been for the general chatty -afternoon-tea appearance of all these veteran soldiers with whom it -was our privilege to find ourselves. A group of sulky-looking German -prisoners sat in a corner, while a lank and freckled Australian -soldier, with his knee sticking out of a rent in his trousers was -walking about with four watches dangling from his hand, endeavouring -vainly to sell them. Far be it from me to assert that he did not -bring the watches from Sydney and choose this moment for doing a deal -in them, but they were heavy old Teutonic time-pieces, and the -prisoners seemed to take a rather personal interest in them. - -As we started on our homeward track we came, first, upon the British -battery which seemed to be limbering up with some idea of advancing, -and so lost its chance of administering a box on our other ear. -Farther still we met our friends of the air guns, and stopped again -to exchange a few impressions. {312} They had nothing to fire at, -and seemed bored to tears, for the red, white, and blue machines were -in full command of the sky. Soon we found our motor waiting in the -lee of a ruined house, and began to thread our way back through the -wonderfully picturesque streams of men, American, Australian, -British, and German, who were strung along the road. - -And then occurred a very horrible incident. One knew, of course, -that one could not wander about a battlefield and not find oneself -sooner or later involved in some tragedy, but we were now out of -range of any but heavy guns, and their shots were spasmodic. We had -halted the car for an instant to gather up two German helmets which -Commander Latham had seen on the roadside, when there was a very -heavy burst close ahead round a curve in the village street. A -geyser of red brick-dust flew up into the air. An instant later our -car rounded the corner. None of us will forget what we saw. There -was a tangle of mutilated horses, their necks rising and sinking. -Beside them a man with his hand blown off was staggering away, the -blood gushing from his upturned sleeve. He was moving round and -holding the arm raised and hanging, as a dog holds an injured foot. -Beside the horses lay a shattered man, drenched crimson from head to -foot, with two great glazed eyes looking upwards through a mask of -blood. Two comrades were at hand to help, and we could only go upon -our way with the ghastly picture stamped for ever upon our memory. -The image of that dead driver might well haunt one in one's dreams. - -Once through Templeux and on the main road for Peronne things became -less exciting, and we drew up to see a column of 900 prisoners pass -us. Each side of the causeway was lined by Australians, with their -keen, clear-cut, falcon faces, and between lurched these heavy-jawed, -beetle-browed, uncouth louts, new caught and staring round with -bewildered eyes at their debonnaire captors. I saw none of that -relief at getting out of it which I have read of; nor did I see any -signs of fear, but the prevailing impression was an ox-like stolidity -and dulness. It was a herd of beasts, not a procession of men. It -was indeed farcical to think that these {313} uniformed bumpkins -represented the great military nation, while the gallant figures who -lined the road belonged to the race which they had despised as being -unwarlike. Time and Fate between them have a pretty sense of humour. -One of them caught my eye as he passed and roared out in guttural -English, "The old Jairman is out!" It was the only word I heard them -speak. French cavalry troopers, stern, dignified, and martial, rode -at either end of the bedraggled procession. - -They are great soldiers, these Australians. I think they would admit -it themselves, but a spectator is bound to confirm it. There is a -reckless dare-devilry, combined with a spice of cunning, which gives -them a place of their own in the Imperial ranks. They have a great -advantage, too, in having a permanent organisation, the same five -divisions always in the same Corps, under the same chief. It doubles -their military value--and the same applies equally, of course, to the -Canadians. None the less, they must not undervalue their British -comrades or lose their sense of proportion. I had a chance of -addressing some 1200 of them on our return that evening, and while -telling them all that I thought of their splendid deeds, I ventured -to remind them that 72 per cent of the men engaged and 76 per cent of -the casualties were Englishmen of England. But this is a description -of a day's adventure on the Hindenburg line, and my deep appreciation -of the Commonwealth soldiers, of their officers, and of their -Commander, must appear elsewhere. - -ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE. - - - - -{315} - -INDEX - - -Abancourt, 259, 261, 262 - -Achiet-le-Grand, 81, 102, 103, 106, 121, 123 - -Achiet-le-Petit, 121 - -Adams, Sapper, V.C., 202 - -Aisne River, 1, 5, 6, 21, 80 - -Albert, 26, 45, 47, 48, 82, 84, 85, 228 - -Allason, General, 86 - -Allenby, General Sir Edmund, 22, 296 - -American Army, co-operation of, with British Armies, 6, 25, 32, 37, -38, 39, 40, 41, 150-158, 161, 164, 166, 168, 169, 174, 175, 177, 178, -179, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 307-313; advance in the -Argonne, 293; successful attack on the St. Mihiel salient, 293; in -Sedan, 293 - -Americans reinforce the Allies on Western front, 2, 23 - -Amerval, 231, 234 - -Amiens, 26, 40, 45 - -Ancre River, 31, 33, 39, 47, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 87, 89, 103, 120, -122, 124 - -Angre, 274, 275 - -Anneux, 215, 216, 217 - -Ardres River, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 139 - -Argonne, American advance in the, 293 - -Arleux, 258, 264 - -Armistice, the, 204, 205, 275, 295, 297; signed, 301; terms of, 302 - -Arras, 139, 277 - -Artres, 270, 271 - -Atkinson, Major, 20 - -Auby, 278, 287 - -Aunelle, Petite, 253 - -Aunelle River, 254, 274 - -Austria, defeated on the Piave, 3, 22; collapse of, 294-295, 300 - -Avesnes, 204, 227 - -Avre River, 25, 27 - -Awoingt, 221, 227 - - - -Babington, General Sir J., 294 - -Baden, Prince Max of, 300 - -Bagdad, 22 - -Bailleul, 139, 282 - -Baku, 22 - -Banks, Colonel, 51 - -Banteux, 210 - -Bapaume, 60, 90, 91, 125, 126 - -Barastre, 93, 127 - -Barbow, Colonel, 20 - -Barker, General, 50 - -Barnes, General, 129 - -Bauer, Herr, 302 - -Bavay, 255, 275 - -Bazuel, 190, 191 - -Beaucourt, 81, 83 - -Beaufort, 29, 34, 35, 247 - -Beaulencourt, 89, 91, 92, 126 - -Beaurevoir, 162, 165, 168, 171, 172, 174 - -Beaurevoir Line, 152, 166, 167, 171, 210, 219, 220, 248 - -Behagnies, 105, 107, 108 - -Belgians, King Albert of, 283 - -Belgian Army, co-operation with British Armies, 283, 284, 288, 289 - -Bell, General (U.S. Army), 38 - -Bellenglise, 158, 160 - -Bellicourt, 66, 151, 153, 156, 310 - -Benstall, General, 28 - -Berlaimont, 197, 242, 246 - -Berthaucourt, 74, 75, 76 - -Berthelot, General, 13 - -Bertry, 176, 222 - -Bethell, General, 170, 204 - -Beugneux, 19, 20 - -Beugny, 126, 127 - -Biastre, 224, 229 - -Bickmore, Colonel, 10 - -Bihucourt, 120, 123 - -Billon Wood, 49, 50 - -Birdwood, General Sir W., 141, 276, 281, 283, 286, 290, 291, 292 - -Bissett, Lieutenant, V.C., 269 - -Blacklock, General, 273 - -Blanding, General (U.S. Army), 152 - -Blecourt, 259, 260, 262 - -Bligny, 6, 13, 14 - -Boiry Becquerelle, 103, 142 - -Bois du Temple, 246, 247 - -Bois l'Évêque, 192, 200 - -Bouchavesnes, 59, 60 - -Bouilly, 7, 8 - -Bourlon village, 256, 257 - -Bourlon Wood, 216, 256 - -Bousies, 192, 193, 237 - -Boyd, General, 75, 157 - -Braithwaite, General, 6, 8, 12, 64, 72, 98, 118, 119, 149, 150, 157, -161, 164, 185, 205 - -Brancourt, 178 - -Bray, 45 - -Brie, 63, 64 - -Brodie, Colonel, V.C., 106 - -Brutinel, General, 263 - -Bucquoy, 81, 82, 121 - -Bulgaria, surrender to Allies, 296, 300 - -Bullecourt, 131, 132, 133, 134 - -Burnett, General, 8 - -Burnyeat, Colonel, 194 - -Butler, General, 26, 40, 63, 68, 149 - -Buzancy, 14, 15, 17 - -Byng, General Sir Julian, 24, 43, 79, 80, 83, 98, 107, 109, 120, 126, -128, 129, 138, 170, 214, 218, 230 - - - -Cadorna, General, 294 - -Caix, 28, 34 - -Calvert, Sergeant, 118 - -Cambrai, 144, 225, 227, 260, 262, 263, 265 - -Cameron, General, 143, 267 - -Campbell, General, 6, 82, 84, 87, 88, 95, 97, 208, 246 - -Canal de l'Escaut, 150, 170, 208, 209, 210, 212, 213, 214, 217, 218, -219, 260, 263, 265, 266 - -Canal du Nord, 66, 94, 117, 118, 137, 142, 144, 147, 215, 256, 257, -258, 261, 264, 265 - -Cantaing, 215, 216, 217 - -Capelle, 239 - -Caporetto, 294 - -Carey, General, 286 - -Carter-Campbell, General, 12, 139 - -Cartwright, General, 204 - -Catillon, 194, 195, 200, 202, 203 - -Cayley, General, 284 - -Chaplin, General, 18 - -Charles, General, 170 - -Château-Thierry, 5 - -Chaumuzy, 12, 14 - -Cheape, General, 282 - -Chipilly, 31, 32, 33, 34, 37, 38, 39 - -Clarke, Sergeant, 201 - -Clemenceau, M., 3, 283 - -Cloutman, Major, V.C., 245 - -Cockhill, Captain, 9 - -Coffin, General, 284 - -Cojeul River, 104, 129, 130 - -Comines, 285, 288 - -Constantine, King, 22 - -Constantinople, 297 - -Cook, Sir Joseph, 307 - -Courcelette, 86, 89 - -Courcelles, 101 - -Coussmaker, Colonel, 105 - -Craigie-Hackett, General, 174 - -Cressaire Wood, 39, 40 - -Crevecœur, 166, 210, 223, 247 - -Croisilles, 105, 108, 109, 110, 111, 114, 129, 130, 131 - -Cross, Colonel, 106 - -Crown Prince of Germany, 300 - -Cubitt, General, 82, 84, 233 - -Cuitron, 7, 9 - -Currie, General Sir A., 26, 259, 263, 266 - - - -Daly, General, 218, 226, 227 - -Damascus occupied, 296 - -Damery, 35, 41 - -Dardanelles, 297 - -Dawson, Colonel, 70, 287 - -Daykins, Corporal, V.C., 235 - -Debeney, General, 25 - -De Lisle, General, 282, 283, 290 - -Delville, 50 - -Delville Wood, 91 - -D'Esperey, General Franchet, 295 - -Deverell, General, 98, 112, 211 - -Diaz, General, 294 - -Dixmude, 288 - -Doake, Captain, 48 - -Dobson, Colonel, 21 - -Doiran, Lake, 296 - -Dompierre, 52, 198 - -Dooner, Colonel, 20 - -Douai, 144, 204, 279, 290 - -Douai Canal, 278 - -Drocourt-Quéant Line, 132, 135, 136, 143, 261, 265, 277 - -Dudgeon, General, 87 - -Duncan, General, 218 - -Dury, 144, 145 - - - -East Africa, 297 - -Ecaillon, 184 - -Ecaillon River, 238, 239, 267, 268, 269, 270 - -Ecoust, 107, 110, 113, 114, 132, 133 - -Egerton, Lieutenant, 287 - -Englefontaine, 193, 240, 241 - -Epéhy, 62, 66, 68, 97 - -Ervillers, 104, 105, 106, 107 - -Erzberger, Herr, 300 - -Escarmain, 239, 251 - -Escaufort, 176, 179 - -Estrées, 52, 157, 172, 174, 264 - -Eterpigny, 143, 161 - - - -Faison, General (U.S. Army), 153 - -Favreuil, 110, 125 - -Fergusson, General Sir Charles, 110, 114, 128, 138, 139, 140, 145, -214, 218, 250 - -Feuillaucourt, 54, 55, 57 - -Fisher, General, 101, 102 - -Flers, 89, 90, 91 - -Flesquières, 209, 211 - -Foch, Marshal, 3, 4, 21, 292, 300 - -Fonsomme, 162, 166 - -Fontaine, 215, 217, 257 - -Fontaine-les-Croisilles, 129, 131 - -Forest, 177, 237 - -Fortune, General, 16 - -Framerville, 34, 36 - -Frémicourt, 90, 126 - -French Army, co-operation of, with British Armies, 10-21, 27, 28, 78, -80, 161, 162, 165, 166, 178, 179, 180, 185, 186, 187, 194, 283, 288, -289, 291 - -Fresnes, 265, 277 - -Fresnoy, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 243 - -Fresnoy-le-Grand, 180 - -Freyberg, General, 282 - -Frisby, Captain, V.C., 212 - -Fryell, General, 174 - - - -Gagnicourt, 135, 136, 144, 145 - -Gauche Wood, 96 - -Gavrelle, 141, 276 - -General position on Western front in July, 1-4; survey of the various -fronts at beginning of August, 21-23 - -George, Mr. Lloyd, 3 - -Germany, internal condition of, 2; collapse of resistance, 299 - -Gheluvelt, 284, 288 - -Gheluwe, 289 - -Ghisignies, 238, 240 - -Gillibrand, General, 29 - -Girdwood, General, 60, 60 - -Glasgow, General, 30 - -Godley, General Sir A. J., 6, 40, 63, 143, 258, 264, 276 - -Gomiecourt, 103, 104, 105, 106, 123 - -Gorringe, General, 32, 40 - -Gort, Lord, V.C., 211 - -Gough, General Sir Hubert, 71, 309 - -Gouraud, General, 4, 5 - -Gouy, 151, 154, 171, 172, 173, 219 - -Gouzeaucourt, 96, 97, 98, 127, 207 - -Graincourt, 211, 215, 216, 257 - -Grandcourt, 82, 87, 88 - -Grand Rozoy, 18, 19, 20 - -Greenland Hill, 141, 142 - -Greenwood, Colonel, 88 - -Gregg, Lieutenant, V.C., 262 - -Gricourt, 77, 78, 149, 159 - -Griffiths, Lieutenant, 85 - -Grogan, General, 277 - -Guémappe, 140 - -Gueudecourt, 89, 91 - -Guild, Major, 202 - -Guillemont, 51, 90 - -Guillemont Farm, 151, 154, 155, 163 - -Gwyn-Thomas, General, 86, 98 - - - -Haig, Field Marshal Sir Douglas, 21, 25, 80, 166, 241 - -Haking, General Sir R., 283, 290 - -Haldane, General Sir J., 80, 83, 98, 103, 105, 110, 114, 224, 239, -240, 249 - -Hamelincourt, 103, 104 - -Harper, General Sir G. M., 80, 83, 98, 120, 208, 209, 213, 223, 234, -238, 248 - -Harpies River, 237, 251 - -Harris, Sergeant, V.C., 40 - -Hart, General, 242 - -Hart, Colonel, 17 - -Hartennes Forest, 16, 17 - -Hartley, Colonel, 100 - -Haspres, 266, 267 - -Haucourt, 141, 143 - -Haussy, 228, 250, 251 - -Havrincourt, 118, 119, 120, 128 - -Havrincourt Wood, 210 - -Hendecourt, 131, 132, 133, 134, 145 - -Henderson, Colonel, 104, 116 - -Heneker, General, 141, 276, 277 - -Henin, 108 - -Henin Hill, 108, 129, 130 - -Herbert, Colonel, 114 - -Herting, Count von, 299 - -Hickie, General Sir W., 173 - -Higginson, General, 31, 51, 66, 287 - -High Wood, 90 - -Hill, General, 129 - -Hindenburg, General von, 48, 300 - -Hindenburg Line, the, 42, 43, 62, 65, 66, 69, 71, 72, 75, 77, 79, 83, -95, 98, 105, 106, 108, 109, 111, 118, 119, 127, 129, 130, 131, 132, -136, 137, 143, 149, 151, 152, 153, 155, 163, 166, 169, 207, 208, 210, -214, 215, 219, 282, 307-313 - -Hobbs, General, 30, 155 - -Holland, General, 141, 283 - -Hollebeke, 283, 285 - -Holnon, 74, 75 - -Honey, Lieutenant, V.C., 262 - -Hongnau River, 249, 254 - -Horne, General Sir H., 24, 41, 138, 141, 276, 280 - -Houthulst Forest, 284 - -Hull, General, 129 - -Hunter, General, 176 - -Hunter-Weston, General Sir A., 141, 170, 265, 276 - - - -Inchy, 137, 223 - -Incledon-Webber, General, 39 - -Irles, 120, 124 - -Irwin, Colonel, 59, 193 - -Italy, victorious on the Piave, 3, 22, 294; co-operation of, on -Western front, 7 - -Iwuy, 227, 264, 266 - - - -Jackson, General, 170, 173 - -Jackson, Corporal, V.C., 212 - -Jacob, General Sir C., 283, 284, 285, 288 - -Jeffreys, General, 218, 286 - -Jerusalem, 296 - -Johnson, Colonel, V.C., 203 - -Joncourt, 156, 161, 162 - -Jourdain, Colonel, 20 - - - -Kaiser, the, 300 - -Kennedy, Colonel, 17 - -Kerr, Lieutenant, V.C., 262 - -Kruseik, 284 - - - -La Bassée, 286, 292 - -La Boiselle, 49, 85 - -La Capelle, 300 - -La Folie Wood, 215, 217 - -Lagnicourt, 115, 135 - -Lambert, General, 44, 72, 158 - -Landrecies, 195, 196, 197, 204 - -Latham, Commander, 307, 312 - -Lawford, General, 284 - -Le Cateau, 147, 177, 183, 187, 188, 190, 191, 247, 290 - -Le Catelet, 151, 154, 156, 157, 171, 172, 173, 219 - -L'Escaut, 267 - -Le Hamel, action of, 24, 25 - -Le Quesnel, 29, 34, 35 - -Le Quesnoy, 238, 242, 270 - -Le Tronquoy, 158, 161 - -Le Vergies, 161, 162 - -Le Verguier, 65, 72 - -Lee, General, 31, 46, 66, 170 - -Lempire, 66, 67 - -Lens, 27, 100, 276, 286, 287 - -Lettow-Vorbeck, General von, 297 - -Lewis, General (U.S. Army), 152 - -Lihons, 35, 36, 37 - -Lille, 290, 292, 293 - -Lipsett, General, 28, 267 - -Locquignol, 197, 242 - -Logeast Wood, 82, 121, 123 - -Longueval, 89, 90, 91 - -Lucas, General, 267 - -Luce River, 27 - -Ludendorff, General, 30, 42, 281, 300 - -Lys River, 285, 288, 289, 290 - - - -M'Culloch, General, 87, 88 - -MacDonald, Captain, 192 - -Macdonell, General, 28 - -MacGregor, Captain, V.C., 262 - -MacGregor, Lieutenant R. R., 116 - -Maclagan, General, 30, 37 - -Macleod, Colonel, 17 - -Macquincourt Valley, 163, 164 - -Malincourt, 220, 222 - -Mametz, 49, 50 - -Mametz Wood, 89 - -Manchester Hill, 75, 78 - -Mangin, General, 5, 14, 18, 44, 80 - -Mannequin Hill, 165, 166, 180 - -Marcoing, 212, 217 - -Marden, General, 72, 73, 78, 157 - -Marfaux, 7, 9, 14 - -Marindin, General, 284 - -Marne River, 1, 4, 5, 6, 11 - -Maroilles, 195, 197 - -Marou, 235, 236 - -Marshall, General, 22, 297 - -Martin, General, 54, 167 - -Masnières, 171, 213, 223 - -Maubeuge, 197, 249, 255 - -Meaulte, 47, 48 - -Menin, 289 - -Menin Road, 284, 285, 288 - -Mennevret, 186, 187 - -Mericourt, 180, 286 - -Merisfield, Sergeant, V.C., 262 - -Merville, 292 - -Mesopotamia, 22, 297 - -Messines, 283, 285 - -Meteren, 282 - -Mezières, 28, 204 - -Milne, General, 296 - -Miraumont, 82, 83, 85, 87, 88, 120, 122, 123, 124 - -Misitch, Marshal, 295 - -Mœuvres, 117, 137, 256 - -Moir, Major, 12 - -Molain, 182, 184 - -Monash, General Sir John, 25, 26, 29, 36, 52, 63, 71, 169 - -Monchy, 140 - -Mons, 280 - -Mont St. Quentin, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 63, 64 - -Montauban, 50 - -Montay, 177, 231 - -Montbrehain, 165, 168, 171 - -Morchies, 115, 135 - -Morcourt, 31, 34 - -Morlancourt, 25, 26, 31, 33, 34 - -Morland, General, 164, 169, 170, 171, 174, 179, 199, 200, 219, 230 - -Mormal Forest, 191, 195, 237, 241, 243, 244, 245, 246, 248 - -Morval, 51, 91, 92 - -Mory, 106, 107, 109, 110 - -Moyenneville, 81, 99, 100 - -Murman Coast, 23 - - - -Nagle, Captain, 116 - -Nauroy, 151, 154, 156, 157, 160, 161, 310 - -Neuve Eglise, 282 - -Neuvilly, 223, 229, 231, 232, 233, 234 - -Nicholson, General, 18, 19 - -Nicholson, Captain, 49 - -Nieppe, 281, 282 - -Niergnies, 221, 222 - -Nivelle, 287 - -Noreuil, 115, 134 - -Norton, General, 244 - -Noyelles, 212, 268 - -Nurlu, 61, 62, 94 - - - -Oise River, 3, 5, 80 - -Oldham, General, 244 - -Onions, Corporal, V.C., 123 - -Oppy, 141, 276, 287 - -Orr-Ewing, General, 16 - -Ors, 194, 195, 200, 201 - -O'Ryan, General (U.S. Army), 151 - -Ostend, 289, 290 - -Ovillers, 85 - -Owen, General, 62 - - - -Palestine, 22 - -Parvillers, 35, 41 - -Peace conference at Paris, 302; chief terms of settlement, 302-304 - -Peizières, 62, 66, 67, 94, 97 - -Pelves, 141, 142 - -Penet, General, 18 - -Percival, Colonel, 51 - -Pereira, General, 98 - -Peronne, 53, 54, 55, 58, 59, 60, 63, 64 - -Pershing, General, 293 - -Petit Camp Wood, 7, 8, 9 - -Piave, defeat of Austrians on, 3, 22, 294 - -Pierce, General (U.S. Army), 151 - -Pinney, General, 96, 208, 231 - -Ploegsteert, 282 - -Ploegsteert Wood, 285 - -Plumer, General Sir H., 283, 284 - -Plunket, Captain, 307 - -Ponchaux, 172, 173, 175 - -Ponsonby, General, 124 - -Pout d'Aire, 262, 263 - -Pontruet, 76, 77, 158, 159 - -Portuguese, 292 - -Pozières, 85, 86 - -Premont, 175, 176, 178 - -Preseau, 252, 272, 273 - -Priez Farm, 51, 59, 60 - -Pronville, 137, 146 - -Prospect Hill, 171, 172 - -Puisieux, 120, 122 - -Pys, 89, 124 - - - -Quadrilateral, the, 73, 74, 75, 76, 78 - -Quéant, 115, 116, 135, 136, 137, 146, 264 - -Quinnemont Farm, 151, 154 - - - -Raillencourt, 258, 259 - -Ramicourt, 163, 165, 166 - -Ramillies, 226, 262, 263 - -Ramsay, General, 31 - -Rancourt, 59, 60 - -Rawlinson, General Sir Henry, 24, 25, 34, 40, 41, 53, 59, 80, 82, 84, -90, 94, 96, 107, 138, 148, 149, 169, 223 - -Read, General (U.S. Army), 150, 184 - - -Regiments: - -_Artillery--_ - -Royal Field Artillery, 10, 21 - -Honourable Artillery Company, 294 - -Trench Mortar, 49, 60 - -_Cavalry--_ - -6th Dragoon Guards, 91, 227 - -12th Lancers, 198 - -16th Lancers, 275 - -3rd Hussars, 245 - -8th Hussars, 89 - -20th Hussars, 89 - -Northumberland Hussars, 33 - -Oxford Hussars, 226, 240 - -Australian Light Horse, 64, 275 - -Canadian Light Horse, 263 - -_Guards--_ - -Coldstream, 100, 104, 110, 111, 212 - -Grenadier, 100, 104, 109, 110, 211 - -Scots, 100, 104, 107, 109 - -Welsh, 107, 109 - -_Infantry--_ - -Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 10, 11, 20, 142, 269, 271 - -Bedford, 48, 51, 192, 196, 244 - -Berkshire, 49, 50. 51, 61, 62, 99, 107, 193, 276, 277, 287 - -Black Watch, 10, 14, 15, 142, 159, 196 - -Border, 94, 234 - -Buffs (East Kent), 39, 47, 193 - -Cambridge, 33, 62, 287 - -Cameron Highlanders, 16, 17, 73 - -Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 16, 215, 289, 291 - -Cheshire, 20, 244, 253, 254 - -Connaught Rangers, 177 - -Devon, 8, 119, 123, 245, 277 - -Dorset, 86, 93, 98, 201, 233 - -Duke of Cornwall's, 245 - -Durham Light Infantry, 8, 9, 87, 97, 118, 177 - -East Surrey, 47, 50, 59, 193, 244 - -East Yorkshire, 87, 88, 97, 223, 233 - -Essex, 48, 50, 62, 69, 192, 196, 269, 270 - -Gloucester, 76, 77, 78, 159, 196, 202, 203, 250 - -Gordon Highlanders, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 101, 102, 103, 112, 113, -142, 225, 238, 271 - -Hampshire, 7, 118, 208, 272 - -Hereford, 20, 128 - -Highland Light Infantry, 105, 106, 108, 215 - -Inniskilling Fusiliers, 171, 198 - -King's Liverpool, 100, 104, 106, 107, 113, 177 - -King's Own Royal Lancaster, 101, 103, 225, 239 - -King's Own Scottish Borderers, 16, 17, 134, 289 - -King's Royal Rifles, 73, 74, 77, 107, 172, 190 - -Lancashire Fusiliers, 201, 238, 269, 270 - -_Infantry--_ - -Leicester, 156, 160 - -Lincoln, 94, 97, 160 - -London Rifle Brigade, 131, 274 - -1st London, 108, 131 - -2nd London, 49, 131, 274 - -3rd London, 49 - -4th London, 49, 105, 133 - -6th London, 38 - -10th London, 32, 38 - -13th London (Kensingtons), 105, 133, 274 - -14th London (Scottish), 105, 133, 274 - -20th London, 119 - -22nd London, 46 - -23rd London, 46 - -24th London, 46 - -24th London (Queen's Westminsters), 131 - -Manchester, 231, 235, 236 - -Middlesex, 108, 131, 258, 277, 278, 279 - -Munster Fusiliers, 135, 136, 190 - -Norfolk, 62, 244 - -Northampton, 47, 51, 70, 76, 163, 227, 254 - -North Lancashire, 20, 73, 158, 159 - -North Staffordshire, 159, 160 - -Northumberland Fusiliers, 100, 102, 114, 172 - -Oxford and Bucks, 105, 106, 108 - -Queen's (West Surrey), 48, 59, 193 - -Rifle Brigade, 224, 272, 279 - -Royal Fusiliers, 47, 48, 51, 67, 70, 99, 100, 105, 108, 113 - -Royal Irish, 136 - -Royal Scots, 10, 12, 16, 17, 101, 104, 115, 116, 120, 215, 239 - -Royal Scots Fusiliers, 101, 115, 116, 120, 239 - -Royal West Kent, 40, 48, 50, 60, 70, 192, 193, 196, 287 - -Seaforth Highlanders, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 142, 273 - -Sherwood Foresters, 160, 174, 177, 179, 185, 277 - -Shropshire, 101, 104, 115 - -Somerset Light Infantry, 268 - -South Staffordshire, 106, 159, 160 - -South Wales Borderers, 159, 202, 203 - -Suffolk, 101, 103, 112, 116, 225, 239 - -Sussex, 20, 62, 73, 74, 76, 203 - -Warwick, 196, 251, 252, 268 - -Welsh, 77, 84, 85, 202, 203, 242 - -Welsh Fusiliers, 294 - -West Riding, 7, 8, 9, 93, 110, 118, 232, 268 - -West Yorkshire, 13, 93, 98, 212, 234, 277 - -Wiltshire, 190, 251, 254 - -Worcester, 196, 252, 277, 279 - -York and Lancaster, 7, 8, 118, 235 - -Yorkshire, 177, 288 - -Yorkshire Light Infantry, 7, 87, 97, 118, 172, 198, 269, 273 - --------- - -Royal Engineers, 21, 104, 160, 201, 202, 245, 287 - -Royal Naval Division, 101, 102, 121, 123, 124, 125, 135, 136, 137, -145, 146, 214, 216, 217, 218, 221, 222, 273, 275 - -Tunnelling Companies, 196, 278 - -_Overseas Forces--_ - -Australians, 6, 12, 25, 29, 30, 31, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, -44, 45, 46, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 61, 63, 64, 65, 67, 71, -72, 73, 74, 79, 149, 150, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 162, 164, -165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 171, 172, 173, 174, 282, 307-313 - -Canadians, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 34, 35, 36, 41, 42, 107, 110, 111, -116, 129, 130, 132, 134, 135, 136, 138, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, -146, 147, 148, 176, 215, 216, 217, 227, 228, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, -261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 269, 271, 276, 278 - -New Zealanders, 6, 9, 83, 95, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 166, -209, 210, 213, 223, 224, 226, 232, 238, 240, 242, 243, 245, 248 - -South Africans, 52, 170, 175, 188, 189, 190 - - -Rheims, 3, 4, 6 - -Rhonelle River, 252, 270, 271, 272 - -Ribeauville, 184, 187 - -Ribecourt, 211, 212 - -Richemont River, 192, 193 - -Riencourt, 126, 131, 132, 134, 136, 145 - -Riqueval, 158, 159 - -Ritchie, General, 286 - -Roberts, Colonel, 279 - -Robertson, General (17th Division), 82, 87, 93, 97, 231 - -Robertson, General (5th Brigade), 57 - -Robinson, General, 196 - -Robinson, Mr. Perry, correspondent of _The Times_, quoted, 146, 147 - -Rollo, General, 172 - -Romeries, 238, 251 - -Ronssoy, 66, 67 - -Rosenthal, General, 54, 58, 63 - -Rosières, 34, 35, 36 - -Roulers, 289 - -Rumilly, 213, 214 - -Russell, General Sir A. H., 209, 223 - -Russia in revolution, 22, 23, 304 - - - -St. Benin, 177, 179, 188 - -St. Christ, 63, 64 - -St. Georges River, 238 - -St. Leger, 107, 109 - -St. Maurice River, 184 - -St. Mihiel, American success at, 293 - -St. Pierre, 186 - -St. Pierre Divion, 83, 84, 85 - -St. Pierre Vaast Wood, 61 - -St. Python, 226, 235 - -St. Quentin Canal, 54, 157, 158, 159, 160, 162, 163, 164, 165, 171, -172, 174, 175 - -St. Souplet, 179, 182, 183, 187 - -Sadleir-Jackson, General, 48 - -Sailly-Sallisel, 60, 92 - -Saint, Colonel, 33 - -Salonica, 22, 295 - -Sambre and Oise Canal, 191, 194, 195, 196, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203 - -Sambre River, 197, 241, 245, 246, 249 - -Sanders, General, 98 - -Sapignies, 105, 107, 108 - -Sassegnies, 195, 197 - -Scarpe River, 138, 139, 140, 143, 258, 265, 276, 277, 278, 287 - -Scheidemann, Herr, 302 - -Scheldt River, 292 - -Schwaben Redoubt, 86 - -Sedan, Americans in, 293 - -Selency, 74, 76, 78 - -Selle River, 175, 176, 177, 179, 182, 187, 191, 199, 223, 224, 226, -227, 228, 229, 231, 250, 251, 266, 267, 268, 270 - -Sensée Canal, 263 - -Sensée River, 105, 131, 144, 258, 260 - -Sequehart, 162, 163, 165, 166, 168, 171 - -Serain, 175, 176 - -Serre, 81 - -Shute, General, 80, 82, 84, 98, 173, 208, 219, 230 - -Skinner, General, 284 - -Smith, Colonel (Gordons), 17 - -Smith, Colonel (Seaforths), 14 - -Smith, Colonel Holroyd, 87, 88, 97 - -Smyth, General, 29 - -Soissons, captured by French, 21 - -Solesmes, 226, 229, 234 - -Solly-Flood, General, 83, 122 - -Someren, Colonel van, 51 - -Somme River, 1, 25, 26, 30, 31, 32, 34, 37, 38, 39, 40, 44, 45, 52, -54, 60, 80 - -Spicer, Captain, 88 - -Statton, Sergeant, 38 - -Stephens, General, 283, 288 - -Strickland, General, 64, 72, 157 - -Sugden, General, 171 - -Suthery, Captain, 49 - -Swindells, Colonel, 20 - -Syria, 297 - - - -Tadpole Copse, 117, 137 - -Tanner, General, 188, 189 - -Tara Hill, 48, 82, 88 - -Tarleton, Colonel, 14 - -Templeux, 62, 67, 72, 308, 312 - -Thiepval, 82, 84, 85, 86 - -Thilloy, 125, 126 - -Thomas, Colonel, 93 - -Thomson, General, 14, 18 - -Thorpe, Colonel, 194 - -Thure River, 247 - -Tigris River, 296 - -Tortille River, 61 - -Tourcoing, 290 - -Trento captured, 295 - -Trescault, 96, 118, 119, 127, 128 - -Trieste, surrendered to Italy, 295 - -Trinquis River, 147, 258, 265, 278 - -Trones Wood, 50, 90 - -Tudor, General, 284 - -Turkey, collapse of, 296 - -Turner, Colonel, 17 - -Tweedie, Colonel, 78 - - - -Usna Hill, 48, 84, 85 - - - -Valenciennes, 269, 270, 271, 272 - -Vandhuile, 66, 149, 150, 151, 163, 164, 171, 172, 219 - -Vaulx-Vraucourt, 110, 112, 113, 126 - -Vaux Andigny, 179, 181 - -Vaux Wood, 52 - -Vendegies, 237, 240, 252, 268 - -Venizelos, M., 22 - -Vesle River, 21 - -Vickery, Colonel, 117 - -Vieux Berquin, 282 - -Villers-Bretonneux, 29, 169 - -Villers-Cotterets, 3, 4 - -Villers-Guislain, 208 - -Villera-Outreaux, 175, 176 - -Villers St. Ghislain, 275 - -Vincent, General, 33 - -Vitry, 277, 278 - - - -Walsh, Colonel, 97 - -Walthall, General, 21 - -Wambaix, 221, 225 - -Wargnies, 243, 254 - -Warlencourt, 89, 124 - -Watson, General, 28 - -Watts, General Sir H., 283, 284, 288 - -Weeks, Captain, 20 - -Wemyss, Admiral Sir Rosslyn, 301 - -Whigham, General, 98, 212 - -Wiancourt, 165, 167 - -Wilkinson, Private, V.C., 235 - -Williams, General (37th Division), 83, 121 - -Williams, General (102nd Brigade), 18 - -Wilson, President, 279, 300 - -Wisdom, General, 167 - -Wood, General, 67, 192, 193 - -Woodcock, General, 18 - -Wytschaete, 285 - - - -Young, Lieutenant, V.C., 128 - -Ypres, 281, 283 - - - -Zandvoorde, 284, 285 - -Zonnebeke, 284 - - - - -THE END - - - -_Printed in Great Britain by_ R. & R. 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