THE WESTERN FRONT
(_Continuation till March, 1918_)
I. 1ST BATTALION
At the commencement of the last chapter the readers were reminded that
the Russians made a separate peace with the enemy towards the end of
1917, and that the Americans having declared war against Germany in
April the vanguard of her troops began to come into action on the
27th October, so that the defection of the one nation was in the end
counteracted by the determination of the other. As has been said,
America at first possessed but a tiny army, and though a few troops
were fighting in Europe at the end of 1917, still her real force could
not make itself felt for months afterwards. Consequently there was an
interval between the collapse of Russia and Rumania and the arrival of
a capable American army. During this space the French and English must
bear the whole brunt of the struggle, and the Germans, whose railways
were planned strategically, with the idea of being able to rapidly
transfer armies from her eastern to her western frontier or vice
versa, were not the people to fail to take full advantage of such an
opportunity.
These facts must be borne in mind in studying what follows. As a
matter of fact, our enemies started on the 21st March, 1918, a mighty
effort to sweep us into the sea and overwhelm the French. This chapter
will therefore continue the story of the doings of the Buffs on the
Western front up to this date. Like the previous chapter, it is a
record of trench warfare varied by fighting and the necessary rest and
reorganization which followed each battle.
The most important action was perhaps that of Cambrai, in which both
the 1st and 6th Battalions took part, and it may therefore be as well
first to continue the narrative of these two units: the village of
Mazingarbe is, roughly speaking, four miles from Loos in the direction
of comparative safety, and this place may be considered as the chief
station of the 1st Battalion up to the 15th November--that is to say,
that it was the resting-place when trenches were not occupied somewhere
near Loos or Hulluch. Of course, there were certain alterations, for
troops took turn to go into the reserve of the division or some higher
formation, and the more important that portion of the army was, the
further back from the front line were stationed its reserves; for
instance, on the 13th July the Buffs went into divisional reserve for a
week at Fouquieres, near Bethune, and for a time in October they were
in G.H.Q. reserve at Flechin.
The most important and the pleasantest change of programme, however,
was a long period of rest at Monchy Breton (about twelve miles west of
Mazingarbe), which is an area set apart for giving a change of scene to
tired troops. The battalion was allowed a month here which, in addition
to training, was devoted to sport and health-giving recreation; a
composite company, under the command of Captain Strauss, it secured the
highest number of marks in the brigade sports and won the divisional
challenge cup for the smartest turn-out and work in an attack scheme.
During the period between the 1st July and the 15th November officers
and men of the 1st Battalion received a considerable number of
decorations and honours: on the 3rd July the Corps Commander inspected
C and D Companies, which had furnished the raiding party on the 23rd
June; after offering his congratulations he presented Military
Medals to Sgts. Cross, Goodall and Poole, Corpl. Sindon and L.-Corpl.
Spenceley, and to Privates Halliday and Searle, all of C Company. In
D Company Military Medals were given to Sgts. Barker, Buss, Evans and
Moorcock, Corpl. Duff, and to L.-Corpls. Curd, Green and Page. During
this period Lieuts. Marshall, Moss and Wyatt were awarded the M.C.,
and Captain Jacobs and Lieut. Worster the clasp to the M.C.; C.S.M.’s
McDonough and Randall received the D.C.M., the latter also being given
a commission and posted to C Company; Pte. Sage received the M.M., and
Corpl. Duff the _Decoration Militaire_ (Belgian).
On the 30th August B Company, having gone to relieve one of the
K.S.L.I., A and D Companies being already in front-line trenches with C
in support, the enemy at 8 p.m. ventured an attack on our three-company
front, which was quickly dealt with by the Canadian gunners and our
Lewis guns. Notwithstanding this repulse another hostile attack was
launched at 2 o’clock next morning, but this again was stayed by our
Lewis guns and we did not suffer much.
Another incident worthy of note was the departure from France of
Captain Birrell, the adjutant, who left the battalion on the 10th
October after no less than two years and ten months’ service on the
Western front and was succeeded by Lieut. Davies. This length of war
service, other than at the base or on the staff, was very exceptional
indeed. On the 1st November the 1st Battalion marched to meet their
comrades of the 6th at Grand Bouret. Early in the month the question of
combined infantry and tank work in the field became an extra tactical
study that all must learn.
As to casualties, they of course continued. There is a horrible
regularity in recording these. Men were always being killed or wounded.
A battle removed a lot of good fellows in a few hours, trench warfare
corroded the battalion strength little by little, and this had to be
patched up either by raw hands from England or men who had already done
their share but, after being invalided, had to come out again. Ten men
were wounded on the 26th August, one killed and five wounded on the
30th. 2nd Lieut. G. E. Sewell died of wounds on the 2nd September and
two men were killed and two wounded on the same day, five more getting
hit on the morrow. Eighteen men of the pioneer company were gassed on
the 5th September. A little bit of joyful news reached the regiment in
the middle of September, namely, that the gallant Harrington, who had
done so well on the 24th June and who had been missing since that date,
was still alive, though a prisoner in Germany. A Company on the 16th
October lost eight men killed and three wounded, the enemy opening a
barrage on our front line at 8 p.m. On the 15th November, Sir Douglas
Haig having planned a further attack on the German lines, the 16th
Brigade, in which the 1st Battalion still served, was attached to the
Third Corps to take part in the same, and the battalion entrained for
Peronne and moved to the forward area on the 17th.
II. 6TH BATTALION
There is a great high road running dead straight from Arras
east-south-east for four-and-twenty miles to Cambrai. Two miles and a
half from Arras along this road lies the village of Tilloy, and three
miles further on Monchy is to the north and Wancourt to the south of
it. Two miles south-east of the latter place and about two miles to the
south of the great road is the scene of the 7th Battalion’s fight on
the 3rd May, 1917--the village of Cherisy. It was round these places
that the 6th Battalion fought and endured up till the 23rd October,
when it retired away west to a more peaceful region for a few days and
there saw a good deal of the 1st Battalion.
On the 1st July the 6th moved from Arras to the Wancourt line, and on
that date it mustered 33 officers, but only 483 other ranks. While
in this sector it was sometimes in front, sometimes in support and
sometimes further back.
Amongst the various excavations of this region is what is known as
“The Long Trench,” which, commencing about 1,200 yards south of
Keeling Copse, runs southward and is continued in that direction by
Tool Trench. In this long work was the 6th Battalion on the 10th July,
when it received orders to raid the enemy’s shell holes east of Tool
Trench at 7.30 a.m. the next day. The enemy, however, had made his own
plans and, taking the initiative himself, attacked at 5 a.m. after an
exceptionally heavy bombardment of guns of all sorts and sizes, smoke
and liquid fire being also used. This heavy rain of projectiles was
directed not only on Long and Tool Trenches, but on the supports. The
infantry attack was directed chiefly on Long Trench, and the Germans
managed to penetrate at one point after feinting or making a holding
attack along the whole front of it. Having effected his penetration he
rapidly deployed and occupied shell holes in rear or on our side. 2nd
Lieut. Stevens, who was holding a post near by, at once realized the
situation and organized and carried out a counter-attack along Long
Trench, and almost at the same time L.-Corpl. Edgington and two men,
who were all on duty with the 37th Brigade Sniping Company, seeing
that the attack was serious, at once dashed up to ascertain the true
situation. These three went up Long Trench for three or four hundred
yards till they reached the point where the break through had occurred.
Here, of course, they came across a lot of Germans who hurled bombs at
them. The corporal, however, was a good and resolute Buff soldier, and
he, posting one of his men in an advantageous position in the trench,
with the other commenced to erect a block or stop in the work. He was
soon joined by 2nd Lieut. Stevens and another man, and between them
they consolidated the block and opened fire at close range on a number
of the enemy. About two hours and a half later on the Buffs tried a
counter-attack which was duly preceded by artillery preparation, but
it failed owing to the heavy machine-gun fire it was subjected to. The
enemy’s aeroplanes were very noticeable during this affair, flying low
over our lines all day, particularly during the attack. 2nd Lieut.
Gunther was killed, as were 9 men; another officer and 26 men were
wounded, and there were 30 missing. Long Trench was recovered a week
later by the 35th Brigade and the Royal West Kent Regiment.
On the 3rd August, at 6 p.m., the Buffs being then in rear in what
was called the Brown Line, the enemy opened a heavy barrage and later
attacked Hook Trench. Two officers and one hundred men of the Buffs
were sent up about 8.30 to aid the Queen’s and West Kent in the front
line. The attack was beaten off and heavy casualties were inflicted on
the enemy, who withdrew, leaving several prisoners. On the 6th August
the whole brigade was relieved and went into Beaurains Camp, near
Arras. 2nd Lieuts. Hunt, Mason-Springgay, Russell and Sowter, with
eighty-six men, who had been training for a raid, proceeded from here
to take their part in an organized minor adventure which took place on
the 9th of the month and which was most successful: the moral of the
enemy had every appearance of being severely shaken and he suffered
heavy casualties; his trenches were entered, many dug-outs destroyed
and eighty prisoners brought back, and it was just a regimental
misfortune that the men of Kent were in the flank which became
subject to the enfilade fire and consequently suffered the following
casualties and failed to get on as far as was hoped.
2nd Lieuts. J. Russell and F. I. Sowter missing, Mason-Springgay
wounded and thirty-five men either killed, wounded or missing. It was
afterwards ascertained that both Russell and Sowter had been killed.
The raid party returned to camp about 3 a.m., played in by the Drums.
On the 24th August, while in the Levis Barracks at Arras, Corpl.
Horton, L.-Corpl. Parker and Ptes. Hoare, Lane and Scott heard they had
been awarded the M.M., and about the same time, while in the trenches
again, news came of a M.C. for 2nd Lieut. Mason-Springgay.
On the 1st September the Royal Fusiliers, aided by the Buffs’ covering
fire, made a neat little raid, sustaining only one casualty and
bringing in twenty-six prisoners; and the next day a telegram came
saying that 2nd Lieut. Stevens had the M.C. and Pte. Barham the M.M. An
attempt was made by the enemy on the 24th to raid the brigade front,
but it was repulsed with loss.
The 3rd October brought the battalion thirty-three casualties,
including 2nd Lieut. Needman killed. This was because the Sussex
Regiment, on the Buffs’ left, made a raid and the German heavily
barraged the latter corps’ lines. Two days afterwards 2nd Lieut. N.
E. FitzRoy Cole and one man were killed in the front line. The 24th
of October took the 6th Battalion off westward, and the 29th found it
billeted at Vacquerie le Bourg.
November opened with more than one pleasant meeting with the 1st
Battalion. The 6th marched to Frevent with this object on the 1st
November, and two drawn matches at football were played between the
units, first at Beaudricourt and afterwards at Vacquerie, but the
real business of life at this time was training and preparation for
a coming attack. On the 16th the battalion entrained for Peronne,
and by the 19th it was in position of assembly behind the village
of Gonnelieu, which is about four miles south of Ribecourt, in the
vicinity of which the 1st Battalion stood. Before describing the parts
taken by the Buffs in the action before Cambrai it may be well to
explain shortly why the battle came to be fought.
It was now past the middle of November and the collapse of the Russians
had already become so apparent that large bodies of Germans had been
withdrawn from their Eastern front to swell the armies in France,
and it was quite clear that more and more would be arriving shortly.
Under these adverse circumstances Haig determined on a surprise attack
on a considerable scale before more reinforcements could arrive, and
so he directed General Byng to attack in front of Cambrai, reckoning
that that portion of the German line was not quite so strongly held
as some others and that it would take the enemy forty-eight hours to
draw troops from other portions of his front to the rescue. Secrecy
and despatch, therefore, were the main points to be considered, and it
was for these reasons that the fight under notice differed from almost
all others in so far that no artillery preparation was to take place,
but the overcoming of wire and other obstacles was to be entrusted
to the action of tanks, and careful arrangements were made for their
initial employment and close co-operation with the infantry. It would
occupy too much space to describe this battle in detail, but it must
be understood that, though the British attack achieved considerable
success at first, the enemy was able ultimately to increase his force
about Cambrai, particularly in guns, and so he managed at last such a
mighty counter-attack that about the last day of the month our original
offensive was perforce changed into a somewhat anxious defensive
operation.
[Illustration:
_Imperial War Museum_ _Crown Copyright_
A NEW TRENCH]
III. CAMBRAI
Now, on the 20th November and following days the Third Army Corps
consisted of the 6th Division, which included the 1st Battalion of
the Buffs, the 12th Division, with the 6th Battalion, and the 20th
Division. This Corps attacked with the 12th Division on the right, the
20th in the centre and the 6th on the left, and the zero hour was 6.20
a.m. Thus it came about that the 1st Battalion moved out preceded by
B Battalion of tanks and in artillery formation from the vicinity of
Villers Plouich.
The first objective, the village of Ribecourt and the spur to the
south-east of it, was soon taken, D Company, which formed the first
wave, securing that portion which was entrusted to the 1st Battalion.
The ground won was known as the Blue Line and was part of the main
Hindenburg entrenchment.
The rest of the 1st Battalion co-operated with the divisional sniping
section and then passed through and secured the second objective, the
Brown or Hindenburg support line, one thousand yards further on.
These positions were taken with small loss, the Buffs only having eight
men killed and thirty-three wounded. This was satisfactory enough, as
the two points which had caused anxiety to the divisional commander
were Couillet Wood and Ribecourt, whereas the first fell to the Buffs
and the latter to the 71st Brigade. The formations adopted were
suitable; the hostile artillery was weak; the enemy was late in opening
fire and it was scattered and inaccurate when opened; the tanks had no
difficulty in crossing the trenches; the enemy appeared to be surprised
and demoralized; the positions were quickly consolidated because there
was no hostile fire, and in fact all was very well. The 6th Division
had a most successful day: the bridge at Marcoing had fallen, and
everything had gone like clockwork; the artillery pushed forward to
advanced positions, as did the machine guns which were brought up by
pack animals. The next morning the Buffs, with the assistance of the
tanks, completed the clearing of Noyelles. This was a creditable bit
of initiative on the part of Captain Moss, who, finding the place but
lightly held, collected a few men and with two tanks captured the
village there and then.
Meanwhile a little further south the 12th Division was equally
successful. During the whole of the 19th, battalion after battalion of
tanks, R.E. equipment, ambulances and so on had been coming up to the
front and, in accordance with Operation Orders, had been doing so in
absolute silence. The scheme for the 20th had included five objectives.
The 37th Brigade was assembled on the right of the 36th and it was to
go forward on a two-company frontage only. The two companies of the 7th
East Surrey were given the task of seizing the first objective, and
the remainder of this battalion was to take the second. The third and
fourth objectives were allotted to two companies each of the 6th Buffs
and the Royal West Kents had the fifth.
The Surreys were quite successful; then the Buffs moved forward in
artillery formation and, crossing the first lines of defence, moved on
with marked success, sending back numerous prisoners and attacking the
Hindenburg Line. There took place some fierce hand-to-hand fighting
and a systematic “mopping up” of dug-outs, but everything went like
clockwork and by the afternoon the battalion headquarters was in
Pam-Pam Farm with three companies holding Lateau Wood and B Company at
Bonavis, though the progress had been delayed somewhat by machine-gun
fire from the two named farms, and the enemy had been difficult to
drive from Lateau Wood. At 3.45 p.m. the West Kent reported to brigade
headquarters that they were in touch with the Buffs and that no enemy
was in sight. The battalion casualties for the 20th were 5 officers
wounded and 105 other ranks killed, wounded or missing, mostly only
wounded.
On the 21st the positions occupied were consolidated. Much movement
of lorries was noticed on this day behind the enemy’s lines. Strong
patrols, however, from the regiment covered the bridges over the
canal. It became apparent on the 23rd that the German artillery had
been considerably reinforced, as the hostile shelling very perceptibly
increased in volume. On this date Captain A. F. Worster of the 1st
Battalion died of wounds. He had been twelve months with the battalion
and was greatly respected and universally loved. He had twice won the
M.C.
On the 26th both battalions were relieved and withdrawn, the 1st into
the Hindenburg Line as divisional reserve, and the 6th into support,
though it sent up strong working parties to labour on the communication
and front trenches for the West Kent Regiment, as a counter-attack
on the part of the enemy now seemed imminent, he having evidently
been greatly reinforced. On this date Lt.-Colonel Green left the 1st
Battalion to assume command of a brigade.
On the 30th November a great German counter-attack was launched.
Being in divisional reserve, the 1st Battalion did not on the first
day suffer much from the shock, though six men were wounded; but the
following morning it reinforced the troops who were now holding the
line round Gonnelieu and La Vacquerie, where the enemy had broken
through the previous day. Here Major B. L. Strauss, who was commanding,
was killed, as were seven of his men, another dying of his wounds.
Captain Allen, the adjutant, was wounded but continued for a while to
command the battalion which duty had devolved on him. Captain Tibbles,
R.A.M.C., Lieut. Blake, 2nd Lieuts. Clark, Fisher and Owen, C.S.M.
Vincer and forty-five others were also injured.
In the evening Captain Pill, R.A.M.C., attached to the Bedfords, took
over medical charge, Allen retired to the dressing station, Major
Hardy, of the York and Lancasters, assumed temporary command and the
Buffs were withdrawn again into divisional reserve to go up once more
in the night of the 3rd to take up a defensive flank on Highland Ridge,
as the enemy had broken through near Marcoing that morning. One company
of R.E. and the Brigade Pioneer Company were attached for aid on
Highland Ridge.
On the 5th December five men were killed and sixteen wounded, one of
whom died the following day, on which date a new doctor, Lieut. McVey,
relieved Captain Pill. Three were killed on the 7th and Lieut. L. F.
Clark died of his hurts; two of the men were lost in the same way on
the 8th. On this latter date the Buffs were relieved from the Ridge and
moved back into trenches in rear of the main Hindenburg system. On the
night of the 9th they moved further back still and on the 11th were
taken twenty miles westward to Courcelles to refit, and Lt.-Colonel
Power, who had commanded the 2nd Battalion at Ypres when Colonel Geddes
was killed, was appointed commanding officer.
[Illustration: CAMBRAI]
The 6th Battalion suffered severely on the 30th November, but showed
that the men were made of magnificent fighting material. The enemy’s
offensive was most successful on the sector which was on the right
flank of the battalion. Here he penetrated right through to the rear,
and the first news the men in the line had of this success was that
their own brigade headquarters was being attacked behind them. This
attempt, however, was beaten off by the staff, the orderlies and the
signallers, though the transport, which was bringing up water and
supplies, was captured. This hostile movement of course exposed the
Buffs’ flank. Dense German masses were successful on the other flank
also, but a ray of light in the gloom was occasioned by a very
successful counter-attack made by the Buffs on Pam-Pam Farm, which
had fallen. This place was recaptured and the enemy’s advance in this
region held up for three hours. Overwhelming masses, however, at last
proved impossible to withstand and the small garrison withdrew fighting
from shell hole to shell hole. The enemy was now on front, flanks
and even in rear, and the struggle was hand-to-hand, obstinate and
desperate. It was a case of the remnants of a fighting unit cutting its
way back through all obstacles to regain a line that was forming in
rear. This was finally effected and the line straightened out, but, as
may be supposed, it was a bloody affair and our casualties numbered 14
officers and 317 other ranks, Major C. F. Cattley, M.C., being amongst
the killed. The new position taken up was successfully held against all
attacks, though it formed a very acute angle, as the divisions on the
right and left had fallen back, leaving, of course, a greatly exposed
salient. The line was held, however, until relief came next day, when
the battalion moved back to the old British front, which was heavily
gassed by means of shells.
On the 2nd December this battalion moved back into billets in
Heudicourt, thence, on the 5th, to Dernancourt and on to Albert, where
train was taken to Thiennes, in the peaceful country some seven or
eight miles south by west of Hazebrouck, for the necessary rest and
refit and to receive and train fresh men from England to fill the
terrible gaps.
IV. 1ST BATTALION
After Cambrai the 1st Battalion, except for a short time near Moreuil,
was kept out of the trenches till the 25th January, 1918, on which
date it relieved the 9th Battalion of the Norfolks at Demicourt, about
half-way between Bapaume and Cambrai. During this interval it had
been lent to the 3rd Division and posted at Ervillers, Noreuil and
Courcelles, all of which places are fairly close together. Christmas
was spent at Courcelles in a quiet and restful manner, and a slight
change of scene occurred soon afterwards by a move to Bellacourt, near
Riviere, which is somewhat nearer Arras. The arrival in this place was
marked by the rejoining of Captain Jones, D.S.O., of the R.A.M.C.,
who, an old, much respected and greatly beloved medical officer to the
battalion, had been over fifteen months absent from his friends.
The New Year brought some honours with it. The late Major Strauss was
gazetted to a M.C.; Sgt. Pass got the D.C.M.; and the M.M. came to
Ptes. Alexander, Elliott, Wilson and Wright; and Lt.-Colonels Green,
D.S.O., and Power, Major Blackall, Lieut. Whitlock, Corpl. Troy and
Pte. May were all mentioned in despatches. The 21st January took this
unit to Fremicourt, near Bapaume, and into divisional reserve, and the
25th, as has been said, back into the dreary trench work again. Captain
Marshall on this date, who had already the M.C., was awarded the D.S.O.
The trench tour was quiet enough, for the enemy was nearly a mile away,
and the battalion was back at Fremicourt on the 3rd February.
Here, or rather at Le Bucquiere close by, on the 8th, a somewhat
startling and apparently an unexpected change of organization took
place which affected nearly everybody in the army. It had been decided
that infantry brigades would be of more use, or at any rate that
certain saving of power would be effected, if, instead of four, they
should consist in future of only three battalions. This resulted in
the disbanding of many brave and tried units which had repeatedly
proved their value. Thus the 16th Brigade lost the 8th Battalion of the
Bedfordshire Regiment which had been comrades of the Buffs, York and
Lancaster and Shropshire Light Infantry since March, 1915, when they
came into the brigade in place of the Leicester Regiment. Of course,
the disbanding of these units did not mean that the soldiers composing
them went home to their mothers. They merely were transferred to other
battalions in the form of huge drafts. Thus our own 8th Battalion of
the Buffs, which had so nobly upheld the ancient honour of the regiment
on many a stricken field, now ceased to exist in the same way as did
the 8th Bedfords, and in consequence the 1st and 6th Buffs became the
richer for strong reinforcements of fighting men. Five officers and 250
other ranks arrived at Le Bucquiere from the 8th for the 1st Buffs.
On the 12th February the battalion went into trenches at Lagnicourt,
near Queant, and it was at this place when it received the shock of the
German great offensive in March. It was in February a quiet and fairly
comfortable place, though on the 14th an unlucky shell killed three
N.C.O.’s of D Company in a dug-out and blew a fourth clean through the
roof. Beugnatre was the rearmost resting-place for Lagnicourt, and each
battalion of the brigade of course took its turn there.
Now that the Russians had finally collapsed and so set free the
enormous hostile armies which, up till now, they had, at any rate in
part, kept occupied, the whole of Central Europe had for some time been
crowded with troop trains bringing division after division from east to
west; these divisions had been specially trained for open as opposed to
trench fighting, and the Kaiser and his staff fondly hoped they would
suffice to drive the French to Paris and the English into the sea,
more particularly as thousands of Russian guns were now available for
German gunners to use on their western foes. It was clear to everybody,
from the Commander-in-Chief to the last recruit from England, that a
great offensive might commence on any day and we were busily engaged
in preparations. Battlefields were made ready for defence, strong
points heavily wired and mine fields laid as protection against tanks.
This attack was expected in the early morning of the 13th March
and the whole British front was covered with a series of listening
patrols, special precautions were taken and all ranks exhorted to quit
themselves like men. On the 19th the rainless spring weather, which had
lasted a fortnight, gave place to mist, with cold showers. On the 20th
before midnight orders came to withdraw all working parties, to man
all battle and alarm posts before dawn, and to be in readiness for the
enemy’s onslaught.
V. 6TH BATTALION
The 6th Battalion did not come into the front line again till the 22nd
January, 1918, on which date it was at Fleurbaix, in the direction of
Armentieres. The interval had been passed round Merville and Estaires.
Some well-deserved decorations came to the unit in January and some
medal ribbons were presented by the Army Commander. Captain Ferrie and
2nd Lieut. Gray got the M.C., L.-Corpl. Parker a bar to his M.M., and
the decoration itself came to L.-Corpl. Clements and Pte. Woodcock. A
little later 2nd Lieuts. Kidd, Stevens and Turk were gladdened with the
news that each had the M.C.; Lt.-Colonel Smeltzer, M.C., was given the
D.S.O., and R.S.M. Jeffrey the M.C.
Though Fleurbaix itself was reached on the 13th January, the battalion
did not move into the front line in that region till the 22nd, and then
it was quiet enough till relief came and a move back some five miles or
so to Sailly, except that there was a certain amount of bombardment on
the 28th, and just before relief was due the next day an enemy’s party
of about twenty attempted a raid on a post known as “Richard.” They
worked round behind this point with a view to cutting off the retreat
of its little garrison, but at the exact moment the relieving party
of Fusiliers arrived on the scene and the raiders, caught between two
fires, were surprised and dispersed.
There was a good deal of work to be done in February in the way of
preparation for the coming assault, and the 6th of the month saw the
battalion in the front-line trenches, after C.S.M. Woodhams had heard
on the 4th that he had got his D.C.M. The 9th of the month brought
the big draft from the now defunct 8th Battalion of the Buffs. This
consisted of 5 officers and 200 men.
Remaining in the same vicinity for many days, now in brigade reserve at
Rouge-de-Bout, then in divisional at Nouveau Monde, and again in the
trenches, all the men’s energies were directed to work at defensive
positions; for the British army and its allies were now for a time
definitely on the defensive and experiencing what may be described as
a lull before the storm. Of course, there still were some few signs
of activity on both sides, for it is not nowadays customary in war to
remain many days in total inactivity. Thus the enemy attempted “Robert”
Post on the 7th March, and next day, after a preliminary artillery
bombardment, the West Kent carried out a successful little raid; but
things at this time were, generally speaking, quiet enough. On the 9th
came a shower of gas shells, but there were no casualties that day,
though on the morrow 2nd Lieut. T. A. Brown was killed and 2nd Lieut.
Barnes wounded.
The British in this region appear to have expected the attack about
the 11th. The enemy was believed to be forming in vast masses on
the immediate front, and the Buffs remained during the night of the
10th/11th in battle formation with patrols going out in front at
frequent intervals. In fact, these night patrols were now in pretty
constant use. On the 16th transport was noticed to be very active
behind the German lines. On the 17th at 10.10 p.m., after a quiet
day, the enemy opened a very heavy artillery fire on the front and
support lines. Two of his patrols, of about thirty men each, attempted
to approach “Richard” and “Reggie” posts, but were driven off by Lewis
guns and rifle fire. 2nd Lieut. C. F. Peters, however, met his death
that night and ten men were wounded. On the 19th March the battalion
was relieved and went into billets at Pont de Nieppe, which is a mile
or two outside Armentieres on the Bailleul road, and there it was on
the morning of the 21st.
VI. 7TH BATTALION
The story of the 7th Battalion from the 1st July, 1917, to the 21st
March, 1918, must now come under consideration. The chief area of its
operations was Dickebusch and its neighbourhood, and the chief event
a great and grim combat at Poelcappelle on the 12th October. It was
on the 3rd July that the 55th Brigade, with the Buffs, railed from
Doullens to join the Fifth Army and went to the Second Corps area,
detraining at Hupoutre and marching to Ottawa Camp at Ouderdom, a
couple of miles west of Dickebusch; and on the 7th it was in the line
again, where things were comparatively lively, especially as regards
gas-shelling, and where much patrolling work was done. A raid was
arranged for the 14th, but had to be abandoned, as the guns could
not come into action on account of the gas, and two days afterwards
the battalion was relieved for a while and went into camp at Chateau
Segard. Very many men were wounded about this period, namely, sixty-one
in seventeen days, which is a high average for trench warfare.
At the commencement of August at Dickebusch the enemy was fairly active
and Captain A. O. Sherren, commanding C Company, was killed on the
3rd and Captain Clapperton wounded the next night. These casualties
occurred in relieving a portion of the line but little known to the
battalion and which had been held by the 30th Division. The Buffs were
back again at Chateau Segard on the 8th and into divisional reserve
on the 10th, on which date an attack was made by the brigade, the 7th
Battalion The Queen’s being in the forefront of the fight and the
Buffs going up in reserve to a place known as Railway Dug-outs, which
was south-east of Ypres. At 6 a.m. orders came to send one company
to support the 8th East Surrey in what was called Crab Crawl Tunnel.
Therefore A Company was despatched, and it was joined in the evening by
B. These two companies, under Major Wood, were in support to the 17th
Brigade of the 24th Division, in which the 8th Buffs were serving.
Directly after this the Buffs were entrained and moved off for a period
of training at Eringhem, nine miles north-west of Steenvoorde, Wood’s
two companies rejoining headquarters at Arbeele on the 13th. On the
15th August Pte. Roberts (since killed in action) and Sgt. Baldry were
awarded the M.M.
Of course, there was a great deal of training at this time, but, even
if the numerous drafts which required teaching and the ever-changing
conditions of warfare had not made this a necessity, still it does
not improve the health nor the spirits of men so often exposed to the
danger of death to encourage or allow periods of utter indolence and
the consequent loafing and brooding. The work at this time was mostly
practising the assault of positions. On the 12th September Captain
Nicholson got the M.C. and L.-Corpl. Streat the D.C.M., and about the
same time eight soldiers got the M.M. and one a bar to the same. On
the 23rd September the Buffs moved by train to St. Jan Ter Biezen,
where, five days afterwards, hostile aircraft dropped bombs into the
camp, doing a very great deal of damage. The men were in huts and tents
and the area a very congested one, which fact probably tempted the
enemy to his enterprise. It was dark when the aeroplane flew over and
it dropped six bombs (two of which were blind) right into the camp,
resulting in the death of 2nd Lieut. R. E. C. Mead and twenty-six men
and the wounding of Lieut. and Qr.-Master Rye, 2nd Lieuts. Malton
and Tyler and sixty-three others. This misfortune had the effect of
disorganizing the arrangement of platoons and sections just at a
time when the regiment was being braced up and perfected in the new
method of attack called “Leap-frog.”[23] However, the training still
went on and, moving by stages, the battalion, with the rest of the
brigade, was on the 11th October opposite the village of Poelcappelle,
because for various reasons, one of which was a desire to assist the
French, our Commander-in-Chief was arranging a considerable offensive
movement before the weather, which had been much against movement, got
absolutely too wet and wintry for any kind of manœuvre.
This offensive operation was made over a six-mile front northwards
from a point east of the village of Zonnebeke and so brought the
55th Brigade to the position indicated. As far as the 55th Brigade
was concerned no circumstances could have been less in favour of a
successful attack, for several reasons: no shelter was to be had for
the assaulting troops, who had to be out in the open, in mud and rain,
close up to the front line and in full view of hostile aircraft, thus
advertising the coming movement, so to speak; much detail in the way
of attack orders was altered and amended at the last moment, and these
details consequently could not be made known to everyone in time, for
the night of the 11th was pitch dark and the various platoons and
sections were scattered about wherever cover could be got--in shell
holes and the like, and so had no chance of receiving detailed orders.
The Buffs’ line was from Gloster House, or Farm, to Poelcappelle
Church; C Company was on the right and D on the left, A supporting C
and B behind D. The objective, together with the battalion area of
activity, is shown on the accompanying sketch map. A and B Companies
were to act as what was known as “leap-frog” companies--that is,
they were to pass the others and go on to the second objective. All
companies were in position by 4 a.m. on the 12th October; outposts
were withdrawn at 5.15; the barrage opened at 5.25, and C and D moved
forward.
All reports agree in stating that our barrage was not a success; it was
erratic and not heavy enough, and when the infantry attack was getting
into difficulties it passed too far ahead. The officer commanding
C Company (Captain Nicholson) reported that the guns opened thirty
seconds too late on his front, that the barrage commenced very thinly
and thickened right on top of the leading troops. D Company got caught
by the enemy’s gun fire as it was waiting for ours to lift and the
whole front line came immediately under very heavy fire, particularly
C, which suffered much from machine guns from the neighbourhood of
Gloster House and from point “37.” D Company got through the houses
and enclosures which were on its front, but, on emerging, met heavy
cross machine-gun fire from Meunier House and the Brewery, and thus our
attack was checked throughout our line. A and B, moving up in rear so
as to keep close, came in their turn under intense machine-gun fire,
B Company especially suffering very severely. These supports were
eventually merged into the leading line and every effort was made to
struggle forward, but the heavy ground prevented anything but laborious
movement which was ill suited to a rain of bullets, and at last things
came to a standstill.
C Company managed to rush one hostile post, where the men captured
a machine gun and turned it very effectually on its late owners.
Captain Nicholson, M.C., who commanded C Company, tried to dig in
where he was, but the ground was terribly swampy for this; however,
he was, about noon, able to report a perceptible slackening of the
enemy’s fire. About this time he noticed 2nd Lieut. Knight with the
elements of A Company about four hundred yards to his right, and he
sent off 2nd Lieut. H. M. Spencer to get touch with him with a view
to together making an attempt to gain ground; Spencer, on his way,
fell, mortally wounded, and Nicholson went out to help him. As he was
doing so he heard a shout and saw that Knight and about thirty men
had been overwhelmed and made prisoners. He could not get back to his
men in time to order them to open fire. This affair caused a gap on
Nicholson’s left and he directed his remaining officer, 2nd Lieut.
Tupper, to form three posts to protect that flank while he himself
established five others on his front. He then attempted to consolidate
these, but the state of the ground prohibited digging. About 2 p.m. a
party of Germans was observed near the Brewery advancing down the main
street of Poelcappelle which had every appearance of a counter-attack
and preparations were made accordingly, but the enemy was successfully
stopped by parties of the West Kent and of the Suffolk Regiment which
were in the village. About 5.30 the enemy shelled our lines and the
village, but defensive posts were established and all was well, though
the bombardment continued during the next day, the 13th, and at dusk
the remnant of the Buffs withdrew to Counter Farm on relief by the 7th
Battalion of the Queen’s.
It is worthy of note that on the 12th and 13th both the Germans and
ourselves were able to attend the wounded by flying a white or Red
Cross flag, white handkerchief or rag. The enemy never fired on a
wounded man. It is eloquent of the state of things during a war
between so-called civilized nations that such should be considered as
exceptional.
[Illustration: POELCAPELLE]
The Buffs’ casualties in this action were: killed, Captain E. B. C.
Burnside, 2nd Lieuts. R. W. Bone, H. M. Spencer and H. Thomas and 52
other ranks; wounded, Captains Blood-Smyth and West, Lieut. Boner, 2nd
Lieuts. Amos and Bull, and 178 men; missing, 2nd Lieut. Knight and 145
men. A Company had left at duty one sergeant and one corporal; B, one
corporal; C, two sergeants and four corporals; and D, one sergeant and
one corporal--no less than 62 N.C.O.’s being amongst the casualties. As
has been seen, several circumstances contributed to prevent this action
from being an entire success, but the chief was the deplorable state of
the ground, which prevented movement and consolidation and which, worst
of all, prevented fire, by clogging up the men’s rifles with mud.
On the 24th of the month the battalion went into billets at Poperinghe,
where nine men got M.M.’s. On the 1st November it moved, by means of
lorries, to Parroy Camp, where it worked on the roads. On that day a
second bar to Captain C. D. Hayfield’s M.C. was announced, as well as
one to Captain A. C. L. Nicholson’s. The M.C. was awarded to 2nd Lieut.
Tupper, the D.C.M. to C.Q.M.S. Burt and Sgt. Pellandine, and the M.M.
to ten more of the men.
A long spell of quiet at Emile Camp now ensued, the battalion being
very weak as regards numbers. It moved up into the forward area,
however, on the 9th December, occupying small posts till the 17th,
when it entrained at Boesinghe for Bayenghem and went into billets.
There the battalion remained till over Christmas, after which it led
a somewhat nomadic life--that is, it wandered a good deal about the
region west and north of Ypres. Proven perhaps might be taken as a
centre of the country visited, but early January found the men in the
trenches again near Boesinghe for a few days. There was always a New
Year list of honours during the war, and the commencement of 1918 gave
Lt.-Colonel Ransome, already an M.C., the coveted D.S.O. as well.
Captain Clapperton got the M.C., and Captains Fine and Hallinan (the
battalion doctor), together with Sgt. L. G. Moon,[24] who had died of
wounds, were mentioned in despatches. Further, C.Q.M.S. Wickington got
the D.C.M., he having already received the M.M.
The last day of January the battalion went into billets at Herzeele,
some ten miles west of Poperinghe; and the 11th of February found it
in billets in the back area at Viry Noureuil, where it worked hard on
defensive preparations in the area of the expected battle, for ten days
or so. Then came a very long journey and complete change of scene.
Sir Douglas Haig foresaw that the enemy was likely to throw his
principal weight south of Arras, and most likely about the point of
juncture of the French and English forces, which at this time was about
the River Oise. He therefore very greatly strengthened this threatened
area, and so it came about that the 7th Battalion with its comrades
were carried off in haste to the Liez area on the 26th February, and
set energetically to work in what was termed the battle zone, in
contradistinction to the forward zone, in which the first shock of the
oncoming Teuton armies was to be received.
Liez is about three miles north of the River Oise, and two from the
St. Quentin Canal, which practically here defined the forward line of
defence into which the Buffs moved up on the 13th March and continued
their preparations to receive the enemy. On the night of the 15th a
single platoon, under Lieut. C. W. Jemmett, made a reconnaissance
in force on the canal bridge on the Vendeuil-Chaugny road, in which
Jemmett unfortunately lost his life. The bridge was found to be held in
force. The records of this period are somewhat meagre, as nearly all
the papers referring to it had later on to be destroyed in a hurry to
prevent them falling into the enemy’s hands, but it seems clear that
some casualties resulted from the attack on this canal bridge. On the
20th March came the order “Prepare for Action,” and next morning the
fight commenced.
VII. 8TH BATTALION--BATTLE OF PILCKEM RIDGE
The 8th Battalion after its fight at the Buffs’ Bank enjoyed a good
long rest and pleasant change. It was at Escoeuilles in the Lumbres
area for over a fortnight, and from there went on to the seaside at
Ecault, about four miles south of Boulogne, for two or three days. This
was really an enjoyable holiday; passes were granted into Boulogne,
and the camp authorities were most kind; but all good things come
to an end, and the 16th July found the men on the march again for
Mic Mac Camp and the trenches. It took nearly a week to cover this
distance, as no forced marches were called for, and so, on the 22nd
July, the battalion started on the monotonous old trench work once
more. Headquarters, with C Company, were quartered in a tunnel, some of
these having been constructed of late by regular tunnelling companies
of specially selected troops. This trench tour of the 8th Buffs, which
lasted only six days, was a very strenuous one and occasioned no less
than 160 casualties.
On the 25th one of our own heavy guns dropped a shell on our left
front post and buried it. The post had been held by one N.C.O. and
eight men, and four of these were wounded and the remainder badly
shaken. Gas alarms were very numerous on this date. The following
day was marked by minor enterprises undertaken by units on the Buffs’
left, our artillery opening at 5.5 p.m. The result was satisfactory,
but unfortunately the regiment was unable to take part. On the 27th,
a little before noon, a large shell pierced a tunnel occupied by our
men, killing four, gassing about thirty and causing considerable delay
to the carrying parties by blocking the gangway. On the 28th the Buffs
were back for a day or two at Mic Mac Camp, and on the 31st the Battle
of Pilckem Ridge commenced.
This was a carefully organized attack on our part with a view to
gaining the crest of the high ground east of Ypres, and though troops
were to be engaged all the way from Deulemont to Steenstraat--a
fifteen-mile front--the brunt of the work was apportioned to the 5th
Army under Sir Hubert Gough, acting between Boesinghe and the road
which runs from Zillebeke to Zandvoorde. Thus it came about that on
the 30th July the Buffs moved up to assembly positions in Ecluse
Trench, passing Dickebusch _en route_. Barrage rations were issued
and the men awaited the break of day and zero hour, which was fixed
for 3.50 a.m. on the 31st. They were not in the front line, and one
hour after zero moved up to the position vacated by the 12th Royal
Fusiliers in Canada Tunnel, reaching it without casualties, after
meeting several wounded men from different units of the division, from
whom only garbled accounts of what was going forward could be gleaned.
For the whole of this first day our men lay in the stifling tunnels,
where the heat was tremendous and the odour most offensive. It was not
till 8.30 the next night that the Buffs emerged from their unpleasant
surroundings and pushed forward to relieve the 3rd Rifle Brigade in our
new front line, which was, however, not as far off as had been planned;
for the British advance had been halted by very heavy opposition
from shells, machine guns and rifle fire. The Rifle Brigade proved
very difficult to discover, owing to the darkness and inefficient
guides and, when found, their portion of the new line was far from
comfortable, especially on the left, where D Company was. It proved a
chain of posts in shell holes which were mostly half full of water; the
rain was falling, too, and the hostile shelling was heavy.
However, a welcome relief came on the evening of the following day,
and in the dark, over very heavy and unknown ground, the battalion
stumbled through the night, suffering a few casualties, including
Captain Morrell slightly wounded, until at daylight the men made the
camp again and rested at Dickebusch for some two or three days before
going up into line once more on the 7th, on which occasion battalion
headquarters was established in Canada Tunnel as before.
At 4.35 a.m. on the 10th August, in accordance with orders received,
an attempt was made to capture Lower Starpost, 2nd Lieut. Lowles and
forty-seven men of B Company being detailed for the job. This little
party formed up at 3.45 and was subjected to very heavy shelling while
waiting for the zero hour. Then our barrage opened and three minutes
later the majority of the guns lifted, but one of the batteries failed
to do so for another minute and a half, which mistake cost twelve
casualties and greatly disorganized the party. However, the men
advanced, only to find that, owing to the delay in the lifting of some
of the guns, the enemy was all ready and, having left the dug-outs, was
awaiting what was to come. By this time Lowles and all his N.C.O.’s
except L.-Corpl. Simson were wounded, but the stout lance-corporal
immediately opened fire with his Lewis gun and ordered his men to
charge. The gun jammed almost immediately, and the enemy defended
himself briskly with stick bombs. The remaining one-third of the
party--two-thirds of the original number having dropped--could make no
headway against the strong opposition encountered and returned to the
lines, having had 5 killed, 23 wounded and 3 missing, and having shown
great courage and determination.
From this date until the 21st September life was somewhat monotonous
and consisted, as usual, of work in the trenches and rest in camp in
alternate periods, Larch Wood tunnels being the scene of the one and
Mic Mac Camp and Dickebusch of the other. Clear weather and a bright
harvest moon the first week in September caused the enemy to try
bombing a good many British camps at night from aeroplanes, and the
Buffs experienced this form of annoyance together with other units. On
the 11th September, while moving up into the trenches, two men were
killed and another wounded, and 2nd Lieut. Cooper and R.S.M. Dare were
so badly shaken up that they had to be sent away for a while. The next
day the enemy shelled the ration dump, causing some minor casualties.
L.-Corpl. Bussell and Pte. Gasking later on got M.M.’s for coolness and
bravery on this occasion.
On the 16th September the battalion was put into buses and removed to
Oultersteen, which is three miles beyond Bailleul, and five days later
it entrained for Bapaume and marched to Ypres. On the 27th it marched
to Haut Allaines, on the 29th to Hervilly, and on the 30th took its
place in the line with French on their right, the battalion being thus
at the extreme right of the British line.
The first week in October, in this portion of the line, was devoted
mostly to patrol work, and a few casualties occurred, two men being
killed and another wounded on the 3rd, but the work was the same as
usual. Bernes and Vadencourt were the resting-places, and Ascencion
Wood the chief object of the patrols.
On the 4th November an American officer was attached to the
regiment--one swallow does not make a summer, but this was a welcome
sign of what was to be expected later on. On the 6th one of our
patrols at night, being south of Ascencion Wood, came across a similar
party of the enemy, and both immediately opened fire, the Buffs losing
two killed and five wounded in the little affair. Life towards the end
of the year was uneventful. On the 23rd November a post under Sgt.
Smith was attacked by thirty or forty Germans, but they were driven
off without casualties to us, and one dead officer and a N.C.O.,
badly wounded, were found on our wire afterwards. The average company
strength during the month of November was only eighty-four.
The 3rd December found the battalion in the line again and expecting
a hostile attack, but on the 7th it was back in Hancourt. About
Christmas a good deal of movement on the enemy’s part appeared to be
going on around Bellicourt. The Buffs being then opposite, at Montigny,
Christmas was kept on the 31st of the month at Montigny.
On the 1st January, 1918, the brigade moved back a few miles to
Vraignes, but only for a short time. On the 21st, whilst at Hancourt,
orders arrived that the 8th Battalion of the Buffs and the 12th
Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers were to be disbanded, so, on the 30th,
all employed men of these units rejoined, and on the 6th February the
drafts of men already noted[25] started for the 1st and 6th Battalions.
Thus ended the only 8th Battalion the regiment ever had. Ever since
the 26th September, 1915, when it suffered so severely near Loos, and
when it lost the gallant Romer, this unit had borne a brave share in
the great struggle. Very few, if any, of the men raised by the gallant
Colonel Romer in 1914 were passed on in February, 1918 (Major J.
Vaughan, M.C., being one of the exceptions), but the regimental spirit
was still a living thing, and it was a right and happy order that the
men should remain Buffs and no new badge should replace the ancient
dragon.