THE JULY FIGHTING AT POZIÈRES
The successful night attack of July 14th had eaten into the third
German line between Longueval and Bazentin-le-Petit on a front of some
three miles. The principal British efforts for the next six weeks were
consequently directed towards getting more elbow-room on both flanks.
On the north progress had been greatly hindered by the stubborn
resistance of the German Guards at Ovillers, which was not cleared up
till July 11th. Our line now skirted the southern orchards of
Pozières, running westwards just north of Ovillers and then curving
sharply back to the old front line near Authuille. All this sector
was, to our great disadvantage, overlooked and enfiladed by the height
of Thiepval; and progress, though steady, was for the most part slow
and heavily bought.
On this occasion the Battalion was given ample time to view and get
familiar with the ground, as the attack did not take place until July
23rd. Soon after arrival at Senlis the officers went over to La
Boisselle. This first sight of the devastated area created the deepest
impression. Afterwards such complete destruction became common enough;
but till then no one had seen a village literally blown away. Not only
the walls, but the very brick dust had vanished; its site could be
fixed only by reference to the map and to the board stating "THIS IS
LA BOISSELLE." Every kind of battle-wreckage lay about, including many
dead bodies, ten days unburied in the midsummer heat. But though the
guns had done their work so well, enough remained of the wonderful
fortified labyrinth to suggest the difficulties of attacking troops.
The Battalion moved up by degrees, bivouacking on the 18th east of
Albert in support of the Oxfords; and taking over trenches west of
Pozières next night from 7th Royal Warwicks. Only two platoons of B
Company held the short front line; which was naturally of a rough and
ready description, shallow and blocked in places by earth or bodies.
The enemy, in hourly anticipation of attack, were very restless; their
infantry, who appeared to be very thick on the ground, sent up showers
of lights and fired at intervals throughout the night hours. Their
guns, mostly 5.9-inch and 8-inch, fired almost incessantly; even a
comparative lull, it was remarked, would have been counted a heavy
bombardment in the old quiet days. Many gas shells were used, mainly
on road junctions and assembly points in the rear. We had only some
seven casualties from this source--our support and reserve companies
moved up or down constantly in accordance with the ever-shifting
situations. Battalion Headquarters remained in a German dugout in La
Boisselle. Though tainted by the foul reek from the village, it earned
the admiration of its tenants by its solid and elaborate construction.
The 21st was a day of great activity, stores were brought up all day,
and the trenches improved for the attack as far as intense enemy fire
would permit. Lieut. Downs that night took out a patrol from the
right, who explored the south-west corner of Pozières in spite of the
extreme alertness of the Huns, and returned safely with the most
valuable information for which the Anzacs, over whose attacking
frontage the patrol had gone, were most grateful. Everyone was glad to
have them on our flank, for they were splendid men, full of confidence
and keenness.
[Illustration: Map.]
Next day detailed orders were issued for the attack of the 145th
Brigade. The two assaulting Battalions, 4th Oxfords and 5th
Gloucesters, were allotted a frontage of about 500 yards a-piece. The
right flank of the Oxfords rested on the Anzacs at a point some 500
yards west of Pozières. We were in support to the Oxfords, and,
therefore, concerned only with their objectives. To understand the
events of the following day it is necessary closely to study the map.
The irregular curve of Sickle Trench, prolonged along the north side
of the main road, constituted our front line. The Huns held a somewhat
similar line, with a marked southward bulge; the Oxfords had orders to
take the whole of this trench from Point 81 to Point 11. The
difficulties of a simultaneous attack on such a pronounced salient are
obvious, and were increased by the trench running southward from Point
81 for 150 yards, which terminated in a hostile strong point at 97.
The Oxfords attacked at dawn, but were immediately pressed at both
flanks, and began to be squeezed into the centre near Point 28. B
Company (Captain Aldworth) and C. Company (Captain Lewis), Royal
Berks, had come up the main road under cover of darkness and were
deployed by 3.30 a.m. (summer time), along a tape running east and
west some 250 yards south of the centre of the Oxfords' objective.
Here they waited for information and orders. It was still twilight and
no certain information could be gained. Shots were now heard
intermittently, and wounded men came back, telling, as wounded men
will, contradictory stories. Some said that the Oxfords were wiped
out; others that they had captured the trench. Two men were sent
forward to reconnoitre, and came back to report that the position was
critical. It was now 3.55 a.m.; the day was coming and the enemy
barrage was growing more intense. Captain Aldworth at once ordered the
two Companies to go forward to the assistance of the Oxfords. For this
prompt decision, which undoubtedly secured the success of the whole
operation, and for his bravery throughout, Captain Aldworth was
awarded the M.C. The two Companies now advanced into the captured
trench, losing some men en route from shell fire, especially on the
right, where 2nd Lieut. Clayton was killed. During the advance B
Company got split in two, Nos. 5 and 8 Platoons being divided by C
Company from Nos. 6 and 7, who entered the left of the trench with
Captain Aldworth. The congestion of the men of the two Battalions in
the centre of the shallow trench was great, and there could be no
security until the flanks were cleared and made good. Point 97 was
soon gained, and Lieut. Downs pushed resolutely forward beyond 81,
endeavouring to get in touch with the Australians. He reached the
heavily-wired German second line, which ran north and south through
the outskirts of Pozières, but was forced back. Returning with about
20 men from all three Companies he barricaded and secured Point 81,
after killing 11 Germans in hand-to-hand fighting and capturing 2.
Meanwhile, Point 11 was attacked on two sides. When the left of B
Company got into the trench some Germans were still in view running
away towards the left, one of whom Captain Aldworth bayoneted himself.
Lieut. Tripp at once followed them up and bombed them out of Point 11
with the assistance of a party under Lieut. Wakeford, who jumped out
of the centre and led them fearlessly over the open to the disputed
place. Lieut. Wakeford was shot dead just as he reached his objective,
but his action was entirely successful. By 6 a.m. the situation was
reported safe, and the men still crowded and mixed up, were able to
start consolidating and deepening the trench. At 6.30 a.m. about 200
men appeared over the brow of the hill on the left, where it dips down
towards Ovillers, advancing with fixed bayonets. It was a Company of
the Bucks moving in perfect order and with great fire. As they reached
the trenches east of Point 11 the Huns could be seen coming out of
their dugouts and flying in all directions, many with their hands up.
A Lewis gun from C Company opened on those who tried to bolt back
northwards, but soon stopped, as it was clear that they could not
escape the Bucks. Captain Lewis went up to meet the Bucks officer, and
they decided on Point 11 as a division between the two Battalions. The
morning passed quietly, with no more than intermittent sniping on
both sides, in which Sergt. Giles accounted for several Huns. Thanks
to the excellent organisation of Captain Attride, parties from D
Company brought up all that was required in the way of bombs, sandbags
and so forth. By 10 o'clock the trenches had been reduced to a decent
order, and the men were able to eat their breakfasts. At noon the
Oxfords, who had been moving away to the right, took over from 81-97;
B Company carried on the line to a large bush near 28, which had
escaped the bombardment, and from there C Company extended to the
Bucks' right flank. This sorting out had scarcely been accomplished
when the enemy started a heavy bombardment, which lasted until 5 p.m.
For the last two hours in particular it was of extreme violence, and
fell chiefly on B Company. Here in the ruinous and improvised trenches
very great damage was done, and more than 50 per cent of the Company
were put out of action. Many of the carrying parties from D Company
had also been hit, and lay in the open. Private C. J. Sadler, from
Wokingham, a Company Stretcher-Bearer, dressed them all, and put them
into shell holes until nightfall. In the performance of these very
brave actions three of his ribs were broken by a shell. He was
subsequently awarded the D.C.M.
Meanwhile touch had been established with the Anzacs. News of their
progress had been sought throughout the day with great eagerness. They
had been seen in the morning by D Company making their way through the
ruins of Pozières; and later on the fires which they imperturbably lit
on the captured ground to fry their bacon, had drawn heavy shell-fire
on the whole area. But it was not until the afternoon that a more or
less continuous line was linked up. The violence of the shelling
suggested a counter-attack after dark, which it would be difficult to
repel with the greatly reduced forces available. There was great joy,
therefore, when Captain Aldworth returned from a journey to Battalion
Headquarters at 6.30 p.m. with the news that the Battalion would be
relieved that night by the 5th Warwicks. The two Companies stood-to
from dark onwards, but no attack developed. There was an anxious
moment for C Company when a bomb exploded close to 2nd Lieut. Beazley
in the trench. He had just come up to join his Company and was hard at
work digging. A light was sent up and showed the ground in front to be
clear; the bomb had evidently been buried in the trench and went off
when struck by a shovel. Lieut. Beazley was fortunate to escape with
some severe bruises. The relief was begun at 10.30 p.m., and the weary
men were able to get a short rest by sleeping in the old German line
south of Ovillers. The rest was, however, a very short one, for by
1.30 p.m. next day the Battalion were back in the trenches, which they
had taken over from the Bucks, immediately to the left of their former
line. They were alloted a frontage of about 400 yards, spanning the
head of the shallow valley running down to Ovillers; between the lines
ran the almost obliterated tracks of a light railway.
About 200 yards north of the left of our line a German strong point on
higher ground looked into and enfiladed the whole of the captured
ground, and D Company was ordered to attack it at 1.50 a.m. next
morning. Colonel Clarke was able to make his arrangements direct with
the artillery through Major Todd, the forward liaison officer, much to
their mutual satisfaction. The batteries concerned gave a five-minutes
intensive bombardment with wonderful accuracy in the darkness. This,
however, was the only part of the attack which was destined to go
smoothly, for the enemy replied at once by a furious artillery and
machine-gun fire, causing many casualties, and made it almost
impossible for the attack to develop. One bombing party pushed forward
a few yards, only to lose every man but two from a concentrated shower
of rifle grenades. The Germans, in fact, were in great force, and held
every approach to the strong point resolutely. All chance of surprise
had gone, and the C.O. therefore refused Captain Attride's request to
be allowed to make a new attack. Indeed, at daybreak the German
bombardment, which had died down, restarted with a violence which kept
on increasing until 5.15 a.m., when a bombing attack was made on 13
and 14 Platoons at the road barricade. 2nd Lieuts. Taylor and Cooke
(the latter having come up with supports) kept up a hot fire with
rifle grenades and by their action and example drove back the enemy.
C.S.M. Rider, who had joined the Battalion not long before, had the
first opportunity of showing that combination of bravery and capacity
which afterwards earned him a M.C. After the counter-attack had been
repulsed there remained only a few hours to hold on until the 5th
Gloucesters relieved us, and we were able to get back to bivouacs near
Albert to enjoy a hot meal and fall asleep.
Such were the fortunes of the Battalion in their first attack. Their
losses for the six days spent under continuous heavy fire were, if
judged by the standards of this present war, very moderate. Three
officers, 2nd Lieuts. Wakeford, Clayton and Teed, were killed, and
three wounded (2nd Lieuts. Down, Taylor and Kenney). The losses among
other ranks amounted to 230, of whom only 27, a singularly low
proportion, were killed. The total number who went into action was
about 650.
I will close this chapter with a short quotation from the special
order of the day on these operations by Colonel Clarke, whose words of
praise were fully endorsed by the Divisional and the Corps
Commanders.
'It will be a matter of great pride for all who know or are connected
with the Battalion to hear of the gallant way in which the Company
Officers led the attacks, and the able way in which they handled their
various commands; of the contempt for danger and ready resource shown
by all the N.C.O.'s, and the bravery, extreme steadiness and coolness
in which the lines advanced across the open to the attack or held the
captured trenches under the heavy machine-gun fire, and during the
counter-attack.'
The acts of individual gallantry and devotion were many and
conspicuous. Some have already been mentioned in the course of this
narrative, and a full list will be found at the end of the book.