THE GRENADIER GUARDS
IN THE GREAT WAR OF
1914-1918
[Illustration]
MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED
LONDON · BOMBAY · CALCUTTA · MADRAS
MELBOURNE
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
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[Illustration:
_Speaight Ltd photographers_ _Emery Walker ph. sc._
_Captain H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, K.G., M.C., &c._
]
THE
GRENADIER GUARDS
IN THE GREAT WAR OF
1914-1918
BY
LIEUT.-COLONEL
THE RIGHT HON. SIR FREDERICK PONSONBY
(LATE GRENADIER GUARDS)
WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY
LIEUT.-GENERAL THE EARL OF CAVAN
_MAPS BY MR. EMERY WALKER_
IN THREE VOLUMES
VOL. III
MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED
ST. MARTIN'S STREET, LONDON
1920
COPYRIGHT
CONTENTS
CHAPTER XXVIII
PAGE
FEBRUARY, MARCH 1918 (4TH BATTALION) 1
CHAPTER XXIX
APRIL, MAY, JUNE 1918 (1ST, 2ND, AND 3RD BATTALIONS) 16
CHAPTER XXX
APRIL 1-14 (4TH BATTALION) 32
CHAPTER XXXI
APRIL 14 TO NOVEMBER 11 (4TH BATTALION) 53
CHAPTER XXXII
JULY AND AUGUST (1ST, 2ND, AND 3RD BATTALIONS) 59
CHAPTER XXXIII
SEPTEMBER (1ST, 2ND, AND 3RD BATTALIONS) 104
CHAPTER XXXIV
OCTOBER (1ST, 2ND, AND 3RD BATTALIONS) 136
CHAPTER XXXV
NOVEMBER (1ST, 2ND, AND 3RD BATTALIONS) 166
CHAPTER XXXVI
MARCH INTO GERMANY (GUARDS DIVISION) 191
CHAPTER XXXVII
THE 7TH (GUARDS) ENTRENCHING BATTALION 200
CHAPTER XXXVIII
THE RESERVE BATTALION 206
CHAPTER XXXIX
THE BAND 212
CHAPTER XL
REGIMENTAL FUNDS AND ASSOCIATIONS 215
APPENDICES
I. THE CASUALTIES IN THE GUARDS DIVISION 229
II. THE TITLE "GRENADIERS" 230
III. OFFICERS KILLED IN ACTION OR DIED OF WOUNDS 234
IV. NOMINAL ROLL OF W.O.'S, N.C.O.'S, AND MEN WHO
HAVE BEEN KILLED IN ACTION, OR WHO HAVE DIED
OF WOUNDS OR DISEASE IN THE EUROPEAN WAR OF
1914-1918 243
V. OFFICERS WOUNDED 272
VI. REWARDS--OFFICERS 284
VII. REWARDS--WARRANT AND NON-COMMISSIONED
OFFICERS AND MEN 296
VIII. "MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES" 318
IX. "CERTIFICATES FOR GALLANTRY" 328
X. PROMOTIONS TO COMMISSIONED RANK 331
INDEX TO NAMES OF OFFICERS 335
ILLUSTRATIONS
Captain H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, K.G., M.C., etc. _Frontispiece_
FACING PAGE
Brigadier-General C. R. Champion de Crespigny, D.S.O. 50
Brigadier-General B. N. Sergison-Brooke, D.S.O. 100
Brigadier-General Lord Henry Seymour, D.S.O. 150
Brigadier-General A. F. A. N. Thorne, D.S.O. 200
MAPS
Fourth Battalion at La Couronne--Position on April 13, 1918 42
Attack on Premy Chapel, September 27, 1918 114
Operations, October 11-14, 1918 142
Operations, October 20, 1918 164
Operations, November 1-11, 1918 178
CHAPTER XXVIII
FEBRUARY, MARCH 1918 (4TH BATTALION)
[Sidenote: 4th Batt. Feb. 1918.]
On February 12 the 4th Battalion left the Guards Division, and was
played out by the drums of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions Grenadier
Guards, the pipers of the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards, and the band of
the Irish Guards. Brigadier-General Lord Henry Seymour watched the
Battalion march by, and congratulated Lieut.-Colonel Pilcher on its
smart appearance.
Thus the newly formed 4th Guards Brigade joined the Thirty-First
Division. On the 14th Major-General Sir Charles Fergusson, Commanding
the Thirteenth Corps, inspected the Battalion, and expressed himself
very pleased with its appearance on parade. On the 17th the Battalion
relieved the Durham Light Infantry in the line near Arleux Loop,
and was subjected to a slight shelling. This was the new Brigade's
first tour in the trenches, and the 4th Battalion was the first of
the three Battalions to go into the front line. The line taken over
was an example of the new system of holding the front in depth. The
Brigade frontage, 2000 yards in length, was held by one Battalion,
and constituted the outpost line. Held very lightly by posts at long
intervals, it was supported some 1000 yards in rear by a trench, known
as the Arleux Loop, South and North, where the Battalion Headquarters
were situated together with one company in reserve. Lieut.-Colonel
Pilcher was aware that the arrival of a fresh Battalion in the line
was likely to be observed by the enemy, and that therefore a raid was
highly probable. If any confirmation of this theory was required it had
already been supplied by a prisoner, who had been captured before the
relief, and had stated that the enemy suspected the presence of the
Guards Division, and intended shortly to make a raid to confirm the
fact. Nothing, however, was observed either to indicate the exact time
or the locality; in fact, everything seemed normal, and the officer
commanding the 2nd Battalion Irish Guards went round the posts with
Lieut.-Colonel Pilcher in the usual way in order to make the necessary
arrangements for the relief the next morning.
From the evidence of the single surviving prisoner, who was captured,
it was clear that the Germans had planned and rehearsed every detail
of the coming raid with great thoroughness. Practice trenches, made
from aeroplane photographs, had been dug in Beaumont, and the raiders
were minutely trained in their duties. All the men who were to take
part in the raid had been withdrawn from the line for three weeks,
and had been well fed and cared for. They were the pick of the 469th
German Infantry Regiment, and had been selected on account of their
physique and proved courage. Their equipment was of high quality,
with every detail carefully thought out; it consisted of a short,
light rifle of 1917 pattern with a leather sling, a trench dagger, an
automatic pistol, wire-cutters, a watch, and a canvas bag for carrying
stick-bombs.
The raid, which had been planned by the Regimental Staff of the 469th
Regiment, was carried out in two sections, each consisting of 1
officer and 28 other ranks, in all about 60. At 8 P.M. a concentrated
bombardment was put down by the enemy from Oak Post on the left to
Tommy Post on the right, and the bombardment was so intense that
portions of our trenches were completely obliterated. An S.O.S. signal
went up some way to the left of Oak Post, and our barrage came down
with great promptitude opposite that part of the line; thus valuable
time was lost in having it transferred to where the raid was actually
taking place.
Shortly after the enemy's barrage was put down, the men in No. 8
Post saw a strong party of Germans advancing down Brandy Trench from
Tee Trench, and a fierce fight commenced. Seeing they were greatly
outnumbered, our men slowly closed in on No. 7 Post. After the
bombardment began, Captain Benson at No. 2 Company Headquarters sent
Second Lieutenant Wrixon to ascertain what was happening, and this
officer, after passing through the enemy's barrage, came up just as
No. 8 Post was joining No. 7. He at once took charge of both posts,
and concentrated his men in Beer Trench, which he determined to
hold to the last. He now had 2 N.C.O.'s and 12 men to oppose to the
raiding party. The Germans on reaching Brandy Trench split up into
two parties; one party continued to bomb up the trench while another,
which comprised the majority, rushed across the open towards Beer
Trench, with the obvious intention of cutting off these posts. Private
Fletcher, No. 1 of the Lewis-gun team in No. 7 Post, saw them coming,
and at once turned his gun on them. Several dropped, and the remainder
fled, carrying their wounded with them. No sooner was this party
disposed of than Lieutenant Wrixon saw a fresh group of men, advancing
stealthily down the trench in front of him. Instead of waiting for
them, he determined to attack them, and advancing down the trench he
shot the first man he met dead with his revolver. His next opponent at
once flung a bomb at him, which burst within a few feet, only slightly
wounding him. Private Coles, who was just behind him, shot the man dead
with his rifle at point-blank range. Then a bugle was blown, and the
raiders disappeared. During this fight the Germans attempted an old
ruse by calling out in perfect English: "Take off your gas respirators
and return to your support line." Some of the men repeated these
instructions under the impression they came from one of their officers,
but Second Lieutenant Wrixon yelled at the men, and countermanded the
spurious order.
At the commencement of the fight, when No. 8 Post was falling back on
No. 7, Private Taylor, who had been sent back to No. 8 Post to fetch
some bombs, which had been left behind, ran straight into the arms of
a party of Germans, and was taken prisoner. He was ordered on pain of
death to lead the Germans to No. 14 Post, and feigned to be willing to
do so, when the raiders suddenly changed their minds, and told him to
lead them back to their own lines. He at once acquiesced, but instead
of doing so, led them to the strongest post in our line. When he knew
he was within a few yards of Nos. 7 and 8 Posts, he shouted a warning
to the garrison, and threw himself on the ground. His warning was heard
by his comrades, who at once hurled bombs in the direction of his
voice, and the Germans fled, abandoning their prisoner. Unfortunately,
one of our bombs wounded Private Taylor, but he was finally rescued by
Private Cunliffe, a stretcher-bearer who had already behaved with great
gallantry, bringing in the wounded under heavy shell-fire.
Meanwhile a totally distinct fight took place at Nos. 13 and 14
Posts, generally known as Alton Post, where there was a machine-gun
protected by a bombing-post, under Lieutenant W. B. Ball. It happened
that a party of Royal Engineers, under an officer, was working at the
machine-gun dug-out that night. The machine-gun itself was knocked out
by the first few shells of the barrage, and a small party of Germans
immediately afterwards emerged from the darkness, and rushed at the
post. Corporal Horan, who was in charge of the bombing-post, disabled
three of them with well-directed bombs, but one very tall German,
followed by some more, broke through, and proceeded to throw bombs
down the dug-out. It was all done in a moment, and the officer of the
Royal Engineers, who was in the dug-out, having just escaped the first
bomb, ran round to another exit, when he narrowly missed a second one,
before he got out into the open. Meanwhile, Private Moore, a Grenadier
attached to the Royal Engineers, closed with the leading German, and
was stabbed to death. Corporal Horan then came up, and shot the tall
German dead. Presumably the leaders of the party had all been accounted
for, as the remainder turned and disappeared into the darkness.
It is difficult to estimate with any accuracy the enemy's casualties,
since there is no doubt they were able to carry away most of their
wounded and even their dead. It is only possible, therefore, to state
the actual number of dead and wounded left in our lines. These were: 2
killed and 5 wounded, 4 of whom subsequently died. The casualties in
the Grenadiers were: 2 killed, 2 died of wounds, and 5 wounded. It was
a distinctly unfortunate raid for the Germans, who had taken infinite
pains to make it a success; yet not only had they suffered heavy loss,
but they had failed to obtain an identification of any kind either in
the nature of a prisoner or a bit of equipment. With 2 officers and
nearly 60 men, they imagined they would make short work of 12 men under
one officer, but they had the misfortune to meet some tough fighters,
who were anxious to come to close quarters with them.
Brigadier-General Lord Ardee two days later received the following
message:
The Corps Commander requests that you will convey to the
officers and men of the 4th Battalion Grenadier Guards his
high appreciation of the gallant and successful resistance put
up by the garrison of Arleux Post on the night of February
19-20. He wishes also to congratulate the Thirty-first
Division on having completely repulsed for the fourth time
in succession during the last two months determined and
elaborately prepared attempts to penetrate their lines.
On the 21st the 4th Battalion was relieved by the 2nd Battalion Irish
Guards, and retired to Ecurie Camp for four days' rest, after which it
returned to the front trenches. On the 23rd the sad news of the death
of Lieutenant Ludlow was received. He had been universally popular as
Quartermaster of the Battalion, and had only just retired to take up an
appointment at Chelsea Hospital, when he was killed by a bomb dropped
by a German aeroplane during a raid on London.
[Sidenote: 4th Batt. March 1918.]
On March 21 the 4th Battalion was in billets in the
Cheiers-Guestreville-Bethencourt area, and the Brigade as part of the
Thirty-first Division was in General Headquarters Reserve, when an
order arrived, warning all Battalions to be ready to move the next
morning. At 10 a.m. the 4th Battalion started off in buses, and with
the rest of the Brigade moved _via_ St. Pol and Doulens to Blairville.
It was now to take part in ten strenuous days' fighting, digging, and
marching, in open warfare of the kind associated with the retreat from
Mons in 1914, and to forgo the comparative comforts of an established
trench line. The following officers took part in these operations:
Lieut.-Colonel W. S. Pilcher, D.S.O. Commanding Officer.
Capt. C. R. Gerard, D.S.O. Adjutant.
Capt. M. Chapman, M.C. Intelligence Officer.
Capt. I. H. Ingelby Quartermaster.
Lieut. G. W. Selby-Lowndes Transport Officer.
Lieut. G. R. Green Attached to B.H.Q.
Capt. H. H. Sloane-Stanley, M.C. No. 1 Company.
Lieut. C. E. Irby, M.C. " "
Lieut. E. H. Tuckwell, M.C. " "
2nd Lieut. A. J. Gilbey " "
2nd Lieut. R. B. Osborne Replaced Lieut. Tuckwell
on the 26th.
Lieut. G. C. Burt Replaced 2nd Lieut. Gilbey
on the 23rd.
Capt. C. E. Benson, D.S.O. No. 2 Company.
Lieut. R. H. Rolfe. " "
Lieut. R. L. Murray-Lawes " "
Lieut, the Hon. C. C. S. Rodney Replaced Lieut.
Murray-Lawes on the 26th.
Lieut. T. T. Pryce, M.C. Replaced Captain Benson on
the 25th.
Lieut. F. C. Lyon No. 3 Company.
Lieut. M. D. Thomas " "
2nd Lieut. C. J. Dawson-Greene " "
2nd Lieut. J. Macdonald (To Hospital on the 25th.)
Capt. G. C. Sloane-Stanley Replaced Lieut. Lyon on
the 26th.
Lieut. T. W. Minchin, D.S.O. No. 4 Company.
Lieut. N. R. Abbey " "
Lieut. J. E. Greenwood " "
2nd Lieut. R. D. Richardson " "
Capt. N. Grellier, M.C., R.A.M.C. Medical Officer.
[Sidenote: Mar. 23.]
[Sidenote: Mar. 24.]
During the early morning shells were heard passing over at a great
height, and as the Battalion went through St. Pol it was clear that
the enemy had begun a systematic bombardment of the back areas, and
was paying particular attention to that town. Lieut.-Colonel Pilcher,
who had gone on ahead with Lord Ardee, sent back word for the buses to
proceed through Blairville to the cross-roads west of Boisleux-au-Mont.
There he summoned the Company Commanders, and explained the situation
to them. From where they were the men could see a large fire burning on
the sky-line, and this proved to be the canteen at Boisleux-au-Mont,
which was destroyed together with many thousand pounds' worth of food
in order to prevent these stores falling into the hands of the Germans.
Whether these drastic measures were necessary seems doubtful, since
the enemy did not reach this place till four days later. Guided by
Lieut.-Colonel Pilcher, the 4th Battalion moved through Hamelincourt
to a ravine east of the Ervillers-Boyelles road, where it arrived on
the morning of the 23rd. The line occupied by the 4th Guards Brigade
ran through Judas Farm, to the east of Ervillers; St. Leger was in the
hands of the Germans. The 4th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion Irish
Guards held the front line, while the 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards
was in support. During the morning the news reached the Battalion that
the enemy had broken through at Mory, and that the right flank of the
Brigade was in danger; this was contradicted later. An order issued
to the Battalion to feel its right, and take over ground occupied by
the Fortieth Division was never carried out, as the troops on the
right refused to move, stating that they had received no orders. Then
commenced a most harassing shelling of our trenches by our own guns,
which every effort on the part of the Commanding Officer failed to
stop. Both British and German shells fell on our trenches and caused
many casualties, including Second Lieutenant Gilbey, who was wounded.
Nor was the shelling the only annoyance: the men in the front trench
were constantly employed in repelling attacks, and fired off no less
than 80,000 cartridges, inflicting continual losses on the advancing
enemy. The fighting went on intermittently all day, and, although the
enemy continually attacked the Brigade front, he was unable to make the
slightest impression on the line. That night Lord Ardee issued definite
orders for the whole Brigade to "side step" 1000 yards to the right, in
order to close any gaps that might exist near Mory. When the order was
carried out the next morning, the 2nd Battalion Irish Guards found no
troops on its right, and was in a precarious position. During the whole
day constant rumours of trouble on the right succeeded each other, and
in the evening the news arrived that the Fortieth Division had suffered
so severely that it had been relieved by the Forty-second Division.
Still the line remained intact, and the German attacks only resulted in
masses of their men being killed. The constant strain on our men was,
however, beginning to tell, and all ranks were glad when darkness came
down, and the attacks ceased. A curious order was issued warning the
men against spies dressed as British officers, who were spreading false
reports, with the object of hastening our retirement.
[Sidenote: 4th Batt. Mar. 25, 1918]
[Sidenote: Mar. 26.]
During the morning of the 25th the Companies were warned of a possible
retirement under cover of darkness, and about noon it became certain
that the line had given way on the right, for men from various units
began coming back from the direction of Mory, followed by platoons
led by officers; and at 1 P.M. Captain Chapman, who went with the
Commanding Officers of the Coldstream and Irish Guards to reconnoitre,
reported Germans coming over the ridge on the right in large numbers.
This information was at once passed on to Lord Ardee, who gave
orders to evacuate the line and fall back north-west of Courcelles.
The situation when the order for retirement arrived was extremely
difficult, for not only had the right given way entirely, but the enemy
was advancing in some force directly against the Battalion Headquarters
of the Grenadiers and Coldstream, and there seemed nothing to prevent
their penetrating to the rear of the two Battalions. Lieut.-Colonel
Pilcher immediately withdrew Nos. 2 and 3 Companies under Captain
Benson and Lieutenant Lyon, and placed them on the high ground behind
Battalion Headquarters, whence they would be instantly available for
a counter-attack in case of emergency. All the time the shelling
continued, and the retirement had to be carried out with the enemy
unpleasantly close. While the order was being executed Captain Benson
was wounded, and was in danger of being left behind, but was gallantly
rescued and carried back by Sergeant Marsh. Indeed the evacuation of
all the wounded of the 4th Guards Brigade was a notably fine piece
of work. No wounded man was left to fall into the enemy's hands,
although the medical officers of the Coldstream and Irish Guards and
the sick-sergeant of the Grenadiers remained behind, after their
Battalions had retired, and the enemy was within a few hundred yards
of their aid-posts. Whether our artillery was imperfectly informed
as to the movements of the infantry in front, or whether they gave
the enemy credit for more rapidity than they possessed, is not clear,
but an unfortunate incident occurred which completely prevented a
counter-attack being made, when there was an opportunity of inflicting
a severe blow on the advancing enemy. A Company of Coldstream had been
formed up for a counter-attack, when, without any warning, our heavy
artillery poured shells on their Battalion Headquarters, where they
were assembling, causing a number of casualties. Although there was
constant shelling, the enemy seemed unwilling to come to close quarters
with the 4th Guards Brigade, and consequently when it became dark the
position remained unchanged, save for a strong defensive flank drawn
back on the right. That night the Companies were warned to assemble at
Battalion Headquarters, but when once more our heavy artillery began
to shell that particular spot, runners were despatched to alter the
point of assembly. Captain O'Brien, Irish Guards, was wounded by a
shell, and shortly afterwards Second Lieutenant Dawson-Greene was hit
by another at the assembly point, and died of the wounds he received
some days later. The Battalion formed up in the sunken road to the
rear of Battalion Headquarters, and marched off to the Crucifix at
Moyenneville, which it reached at 1 A.M. the next morning. Immediately
it arrived, it dug a new line of trenches east of the village, and the
men were supplied with hot food from the cookers which had been sent
up. All the time the German artillery continued to shell Moyenneville
without inflicting any casualties. At 4.30 A.M. the Battalion received
orders to retire to Ayette, and to hand over its positions to the
troops in front of it. Two hours later it moved back through Ayette to
Douchy-les-Ayette, where the Battalion Headquarters were established.
At noon an order arrived from Lord Ardee, assigning to the Battalion
the special rôle of occupying and fortifying Quesnoy Farm, and two
hours later it took up its new position. No. 3 Company, under Captain
G. C. Sloane-Stanley, on the left; No. 4, under Lieutenant Minchin,
in the centre; and No. 1, under Captain H. H. Sloane-Stanley, on the
right, dug in east of the farm, while No. 2, under Lieutenant T. Pryce,
remained in support behind the trench. The men were dead beat, having
worked and fought unceasingly for the last three days, and it was a
great relief to all ranks when the night passed quietly. An alarming
message of undoubted German origin was received, stating that the enemy
had broken through at Hebuterne with armoured motors, but this was
subsequently refuted.
[Sidenote: Mar. 27.]
[Sidenote: March 28-31.]
Early in the morning of the 27th it was reported that the 93rd Brigade
was retiring on the left, and this information was at once passed on
to the Brigade Headquarters; at first it was thought best to support
this Brigade, and an order to that effect was issued. This was,
however, cancelled later, and Lieut.-Colonel Pilcher was instructed to
send one Company to each of the other two Battalions of the Brigade.
Captain G. C. Sloane-Stanley and Lieutenant T. Pryce went off at once
with Nos. 1 and 2 Companies, and did not come under the orders of
the 4th Battalion again until the night of relief. In the meantime
the enemy determined to take advantage of the retirement of the 93rd
Brigade, and commenced to mass two battalions near the aerodrome
outside Ayette. This tempting target was not lost on our artillery,
but, in order that it might catch as large a number of the enemy as
possible, it waited until the movement was nearly completed. Then with
a deafening noise all available guns concentrated their fire on this
spot, with the result that the most of the force was annihilated,
and the survivors fled in disorder. It was as fine a bit of shooting
as any one could wish to see, and the results astonished even the
gunners themselves. Nos. 1 and 2 Companies, which had gone up to the
front line, were able, in spite of the cold and wet, to dig and wire a
formidable system of trenches. On the 28th Nos. 3 and 4 Companies moved
to the left, and occupied a line that had been dug by the 3rd Battalion
Coldstream Guards. The following three days passed quietly, and on the
night of the 31st the Battalion was relieved by the 16th Battalion of
the Lancashire Fusiliers, and marched back to Bienvillers. The total
casualties incurred during the ten days' operations were: 4 officers
wounded, and among the other ranks 9 killed, 1 died of wounds, 58
wounded, and 7 missing.