MOVE TO THE NORTH AND FIRST BATTLE OF YPRES
1914
The diminishing pressure of the Germans on the Aisne had made it
evident that an attempt by them to reach the Channel ports would be
made very soon. This would best be frustrated by an outflanking
movement of the Allies to the north, with the ultimate aim of joining
hands with the Belgian Army at that time holding Antwerp. Sir John
French was most anxious to place the British Army in its original
position on the left of the French, as it was based on Boulogne,
Calais and Dunkirk.
The II British Corps was the first to move from the Aisne and
prolonged the French line towards La Bassee; the I and III Corps
extending inwards to relieve it. Next followed the III Corps, relieved
by the French and destined to take its place north of the II Corps
towards Bailleul.
The Cavalry Corps advanced north of the III Corps towards Kemmel, and
at a later date the I Corps, handing over to the French, was moved
towards Ypres, while the 7th Division, just arrived in France, was
directed on Menin.
The III Corps consisted of the 4th and 6th Divisions under Lt.-Gen.
Pulteney. The period 6th to 9th October was occupied in the march to
the entraining station near Compiegne. The Division detrained at St.
Omer on 10th October, and was joined by the 19th Infantry Brigade
(Brig.-Gen. Hon. F. Gordon), which remained with it until 31st May
1915. The battalions composing this brigade were 2nd R.W.F., 1st
Cameronians, 1st Middlesex, 2nd A. and S. Highlanders. The 5th
Cameronians were added on 19th November 1914.
On the 12th October the Division marched to Hazebrouck, where it
covered the detrainment of the 4th Division and came into touch with
the enemy. The latter, consisting of two Cavalry Divisions with some
Jaeger (Rifle) Battalions, and at least one Division of the XIX Corps,
were fighting a rearguard action until such time as they should be
reinforced. The character of the advance may be illustrated by an
incident on the 14th October, when a platoon of the 1st R.F. (of the
Reserve Brigade) was detailed to rescue General Keir's car, which had
run into snipers near Merris. Fortunately the G.O.C. was not in it.
The reinforcement by the enemy occurred on the 20th October, on which
date began the Battle of Ypres-Armentieres, generally called the First
Battle of Ypres. As far as the Division was concerned this took place
on the western portion of the ridge between Armentieres and Lille, and
resulted in the Division being forced back from the line
Preniesques-Radinghem (almost on top of the ridge) to the low ground
Rue du Bois-La Boutillerie after very fierce continuous fighting from
20th to 31st October, in which the Division suffered nearly 4,000
casualties. To revert, on 13th October the III Corps advanced with the
4th Division on the left and the 6th Division on the right. An action
took place on the line of the Meteren Brook, commencing at 1 p.m. and
continuing till dark, when the 17th and 18th Infantry Brigades had
captured Meteren and Bailleul with about 400 casualties. Pushing
forward, the 17th Infantry Brigade crossed the River Lys at Bac St.
Maur, and the 18th Infantry Brigade at Sailly on the night 15/16th
October, and approached on the 17th the ridge west of Lille, where the
enemy were reported to be entrenched. The 16th Infantry Brigade now
rejoined the Division from the Aisne, and on the 18th October a
reconnaissance in force was ordered, which was brilliantly carried
out. The Buffs and Y. and L. on the right captured Radinghem
without much opposition, and advanced across a small plateau, 300
yards in width, towards the woods in which stands the Chateau de
Flandres. They here came under a heavy cross-fire of machine-guns and
shrapnel, and were counter-attacked and driven back. The situation,
however, was saved by Major Bayley's company of the Y. and L., which
had worked round on the left and threatened the flank of the
counter-attack, which thereon withdrew. The Y. and L. suffered
considerable casualties in this little action--Major Robertson being
killed. Meanwhile the 18th Infantry Brigade had captured Ennetieres
and the south end of Capinghem, while the 17th Infantry Brigade
reached Premesques, but was unable to take Perenchies. The 4th
Division had not been able to cross the Lys north of Armentieres,
which necessitated the 17th Infantry Brigade throwing back its flank
to l'Epinette. On the 19th October the Division entrenched on the line
it had won. To the right were French cavalry and cyclists, covering
the gap between the right of the III Corps and the left of the I Corps
near Aubers. The advance from Hazebrouck to the ridge had occupied six
days, and cost the Division some 750 casualties.
On the morning of the 20th October the Germans attacked very heavily
on the whole front. Fighting on a very extended front (five miles) and
with very little in hand, the Division was soon in difficulties,
particularly on the exposed left flank, where the Leinsters had their
three left companies quickly driven in, and the situation at midday
was critical. One company with the machine-guns was able to hold on
until the afternoon at Mont de Premesques, and to withdraw under cover
of darkness, having inflicted heavy loss on the enemy. Meanwhile units
of other brigades were putting up a gallant fight against great odds,
each unit generally with one or both flanks unsupported. At
Ennetieres, which formed rather a salient, the Sherwood Foresters held
out all day, but were attacked at dusk by three battalions and
practically annihilated or captured, only the CO., Adjutant, Q.M. and
250 other ranks remaining the next day.
The Buffs, after a splendid fight, were driven out of Radinghem, and
by night the Division was practically back on the line which it was to
hold for the next few months, and on which the German offensive of
1918 still found the British. Continuous unsuccessful attempts to
break through occurred till 31st October, when trench warfare set in.
Notable among these was the attack on the K.S.L.I. and Y. and L. on
the 23rd October, when 300 enemy dead were left in front of our
trenches; on the 18th Infantry Brigade on the night of the 27/28th
October, when the enemy captured the line, but was driven out by a
counter-attack, in which the East Yorks specially distinguished
themselves; and on the night of the 29/30th October, when the 19th
Infantry Brigade lost some trenches, but counter-attacked
successfully, and counted 200 German dead. The incident of Cpl.
Forward, 1st The Buffs, is typical of the fierce fighting. On 30th
October, when the O.C. machine-guns of The Buffs and all the team had
been killed or wounded, this gallant N.C.O. continued to fire his gun
until eventually wounded in five places, when he crawled back to
report the situation. He was rewarded with the D.C.M. During the whole
period, 20th to 30th October, the guns were woefully short of
ammunition, and consequently a greater strain was thrown on the
infantry.