TOWARDS THE HINDENBURG LINE
April pursued its bitter way with snow and sleet. The first and
triumphant stage of the Battle of Arras was fought on the 9th, when
the enemy was thrust back 5 miles with the heaviest losses in
prisoners and guns which he had yet suffered at the hands of the
British. The repercussion of this violent fighting was felt all along
the British line, and particularly to the southward, where the
positions were still semi-fluid. The enemy's object was to delay as
long as possible in his outposts before the Hindenburg Line, while the
British endeavoured to push him rapidly upon his main positions, which
would then be open to regular attack. Accordingly, small actions to
seize local tactical features were epidemic throughout the 4th Army
during this month. The Battalion at first rested from its labours in
the village of Hamel, its former halting place in January, from 5th to
13th April, when it returned via Villers-Faucon to take over from the
Oxfords. The line had by now been consolidated some 2,000 yards east
of Ronssoy on the slopes of the hill, the crest of which was occupied
by the German outposts, the key to whose position was the fortified
farm of Guillemont. The Battalion was ordered to attack this point
next evening in conjunction with a combined night movement by the
whole Division. The weather was again vile, and wet snow fell
incessantly. The night was pitch dark, and without firing lights it
was impossible to see 5 yards. The attack was due to start at 11.30
p.m. It was to be carried out by two Companies, C and D. The password
was 'Wilson,' which called to mind the entry of the United States into
the war a few days previously. The Companies arrived punctually after
a march of 2 miles from support, and began to form up for the assault.
While they were doing so, covering parties ahead reported that the
enemy were advancing on the right flank. This was probably a patrol,
but Captain James wisely pushed forward a platoon of D Company to
secure his Company's advance. The enemy disappeared into the darkness,
and immediately telephoned to their artillery, which promptly put a
heavy and accurate barrage on our men who were formed up on open
ground with no kind of cover. This caused 30 casualties, and as the
men were so cold that they could hardly hold, much less fire, their
rifles, it was decided not to proceed with the attack, and they were
withdrawn to the trenches. A second attack, which was proposed for
1.30 a.m., was vetoed by the Brigade. General Fanshawe, when
addressing the Battalion on the 22nd April, said that he was 'fully
satisfied with the effort put forward, and that if it had been
possible to reach the objective the Battalion would have done so.'
Guillemont Farm was taken by the 144th Brigade on 24th April. In this
attack our Battalion cooperated after a few days' renewed rest at
Hamel, where the immediate awards to officers and men for the fight at
Ronssoy were made.
The attack, on the night of the 24th-25th resolved itself, as far as
the Battalion went, into a demonstration. Apparently owing to the
darkness of the night and the width of frontage allotted to the
attacking Companies, touch was lost with the right Battalion of the
144th Brigade which was enveloping Guillemont Farm from the south. As
our rôle was to protect the right flank, and as the attack on the
left was disorganised by shell-fire, the operations came to a
standstill. Dawn arrived before it was possible to sort out the
attackers and to get a fresh Company into position. The two Companies
engaged, A and B, lost only 1 killed and 9 wounded from machine gun
fire. The net result of the attack was that Guillemont Farm was taken,
but the Quennemont Spur to the south remained in the enemy's hand. The
Battalion next day took over the whole of the front concerned from
Companies of each of the four Battalions of the 144th Brigade. The
relief was long and laborious, as all the Companies were mixed
together and their exact limits uncertain. The enemy, expecting a
renewal of the attack, showed great nervousness, and put down a
counter-preparation three times during the night, but without doing
much harm. This state of anxious expectancy continued during the
remainder of the tour making life the more unpleasant, as the trenches
were as yet improvised, and supplies had to be brought up over the
open. Much patrolling was done to discover the exact position of the
enemy's forward posts, while the snipers of D Company from their
commanding position in Guillemont Farm claimed several victims. At
sunset on the 29th the 7th Worcesters relieved us, and we went back
into billets at Villers-Faucon. The long winter had ended, and spring
arrived with a burst of sun and warmth. A fortnight's well-earned rest
was now to follow, in which time could be given to refit and to
assimilate the new drafts, which, however, were only sufficient to
bring the total strength, from 600 to 700 men. It was remarked that
although the general quality was good, out of the first contingent of
35, five wore trusses and three others possessed flat feet, varicose
veins or hammer toes.