IN THE ENEMY’S HANDS
We must now turn to the position of Sheffield on Saturday, September 8.
It was truly critical.
It was known that Lincoln had been occupied without opposition by
General Graf Haesler, who was in command of the VIIIth Corps, which had
landed at New Holland and Grimsby. The enemy’s headquarters had been
established in the old cathedral city, and it was reported in Sheffield
that the whole of this force was on the move westward. In fact, on
Saturday afternoon the head of the advance-guard coming by way of
Saxilby and Tuxford had arrived at East Retford, and during the night
the rest of the main body, following closely on its heels, disposed
itself for bivouac in rear of that sloping ground which reaches from
Clarborough, through Grove and Askham, to Tuxford, on the south.
In advance was Major-General von Briefen’s splendid cavalry brigade,
who, during the march, had scoured the county almost as far west as the
River Rother itself. Chesterfield, with its crooked spire, had been
approached by the 7th Westphalian Dragoons, supported by the Grand Duke
of Baden’s Hussars and a company of smart motor infantry. Finding,
however, that no resistance was offered, they had extended, forming a
screen from that place to Worksop, examining and reconnoitring every
road, farmstead, and hamlet, in order that the advance of the main body
behind them could not be interfered with.
The cavalry brigade of the other division, the Cuirassiers of the Rhine
No. 8, and the 7th Rhine Hussars, scouted along to the northward as far
as Bawtry, where they were able to effect a junction with their comrades
of the VIIth Corps, who, it will be remembered, had landed at Goole, and
had now pushed on.
During Saturday afternoon a squadron of British Yeomanry had been pushed
out from Rotherham as far as the high ground at Maltby, and hearing from
the contact patrols that nothing appeared to be in front of them, moved
on to Tickhill, a small village four miles west of Bawtry. Unknown to
them, however, a force of Westphalian Dragoons, having had information
of their presence, crept up by the lower road through Blythe and
Oldcoats, effectively taking them in rear, passing as they did through
the grounds of Sandbeck Hall.
The Yeomanry, at the alarm, pulled up, and, dismounting under cover,
poured in a rattling volley upon the invaders, emptying more than one
Westphalian saddle. Next instant the Germans, making a dash, got between
them and their line of retreat on Maltby. It was palpable to the officer
in charge of the Yeomanry that he must get back to Sheffield some other
way. It would not do to stay and fight where he was, as there was every
prospect of his small troop being annihilated, nor did he desire himself
to be taken prisoner. His business was to report what he had seen. This
latter he was bound to accomplish at all risks. So, hastily leaping into
his saddle in the middle of a perfect hail of bullets--the result of
which was that several horses went down and left their riders at the
mercy of the invaders--the little band set off to regain their camp
outside Rotherham, by the cross-country roads through Stainton and
Braithwell. Here again they narrowly escaped falling into the hands of
some cavalry, who evidently belonged to the VIIth Corps, and who had
come down from the direction of Goole and Doncaster.
Eventually, however, they crossed the River Don at Aldwark, and brought
in the first definite news which General Sir George Woolmer at Sheffield
had yet received. It was thus proved that the German cavalry were now
within the sphere of operations, and that in all probability they formed
a screen covering the advance of the two great German corps, which it
was quite certain now intended to make an attack upon the position he
had selected for defence.
Night fell. On every road British yeomanry, cavalry, motor-cyclists,
motor-infantry, and independent groups of infantry were endeavouring to
penetrate the secret of the exact whereabouts of the enemy. Yet they
found every road, lane, and pathway, no matter how carefully approached,
held by Germans. Ever and anon, as they crept near the line of German
outposts, came the low, guttural demand as sentries challenged the
intruder.
[Illustration: THE DEFENCE OF SHEFFIELD.
GEORGE PHILIP & SON L^{TD.}]
Here and there in the hot night shots rang out, and some daring spirit
fell dead, while more than once a dying scream was heard as a German
bayonet ended the career of some too inquisitive patriot.
Away in Sheffield the town awaited, in breathless tension and hot
unrest, what was felt by everyone to be the coming onslaught. Through
the night the heavy clouds that had gathered after sunset culminated in
a terrific thunderstorm. The heavens seemed rent asunder by the vivid
lightning, the thunder crashed and rolled, and rain fell in torrents
upon the excited populace, who, through the dark hours, crowded around
the barricades in the Sheffield streets. In the murky dawn, grey and
dismal, portentous events were impending.
Information from the enemy’s camp--which was subsequently made
public--showed that well before daylight the advance of the VIIth German
Corps had begun from Doncaster, while along the main road through
Warmsworth and Conisborough sturdily tramped the 13th Division, all
Westphalians, formed into three infantry brigades and commanded by
Lieut.-General Doppschutz. The 14th Division, under Lieut.-General von
Kehler, moving through Balby and Wadworth, prolonged the flank to the
south. The advance of both divisions was thus steadily continued
south-westward parallel to the River Rother, which lay between
themselves and the British. It was therefore plain that the plan of the
senior officer--General Baron von Bistram, commanding the VIIth
Corps--was that the attack should be carried out mainly by that corps
itself, and that strong support should be given to it by the VIIIth
Corps, which was coming, as has already been shown, from East Retford,
and which could effectively assist either to strike the final blow
against our Army, or, keeping well to the south, could threaten
Sheffield from the direction of Staveley.
No one knew what resistance the British were prepared to offer. Full of
courage and patriotism, they were dominated by the proud traditions of
English soldiers; still, it was to be remembered that they consisted
mainly of raw levies, and that they were opposed by a force whose
training and equipment were unequalled in the world, and who outnumbered
them in proportion of about four to one.
What was to be expected? Sheffield knew this--and was breathless and
terrified.
The great thunderstorm of the night helped to swell the Rivers Don and
Rother, and as the invaders would have to cross them, doubtless under a
terrific fire, the battle must result in enormous casualties.
Early on Sunday morning it was evident that the all-important blow, so
long threatened, was about to be struck. During the night great masses
of German artillery had been pushed up to the front, and these now
occupied most of the dominating hills, commanding not only all
approaches to the British position over the River Rother, but they were
even within effective range of the key of the British position itself.
Hundreds of guns--many of them coming under the head of
siege-artillery--were concentrated a little to the east of Whiston,
whence they were able to pour in an oblique fire upon the defences. This
artillery belonged evidently to the VIIth German Corps, and had, with
great labour and difficulty, been hauled by all available horses, and
even by traction-engines, right across the country to where they were
now placed. The heaviest metal of all had been posted on Bricks Hill, an
eminence of some four hundred feet, immediately above the Rother, and
about six thousand yards from Catcliffe, already referred to as the key
of our defences.
Suddenly, at sunrise, a low boom was heard from this point. This was the
opening German gun of the artillery preparation for the attack, which
was now evidently developing, and although the distance was nearly six
thousand yards, yet the bursts of the huge shells were seen to have been
well timed. Another and another followed, and presently these huge
projectiles, hurtling through the air and bursting with a
greenish-yellow smoke, showed that they were charged with some high
explosive. No sooner had this terrific tornado of destruction opened in
real earnest from the enemy, than the field artillery, massed as has
already been described, commenced their long-distance fire at a range of
about three thousand five hundred yards, and for a period, that seemed
hours, but yet was in reality only about fifty minutes, the awful
cannonade continued.
The British guns had already come into action, and intermittent firing
of shrapnel and other projectiles was now directed against the German
batteries.
These latter, however, were mostly carefully concealed, effective
cover having, by means of hard spade-work, been thrown up during
the night. The British guns were mostly served by Volunteers and
Militia-Artillerymen, who, although burning with patriotism, were--owing
to the little real practice they had had in actually firing live shell,
having mostly been drilled with dummy guns--utterly incompetent to make
any impression upon the enemy’s lines of concealed artillery.
It was plain, then, that the Germans had adopted the principle of
massing the bulk of the guns of their two divisions of the VIIth Corps
at such a point that they might strike the heaviest blow possible at the
defence, under cover of which, when resistance had been somewhat beaten
down, the infantry might advance to the attack. This was now being done.
But away to the south was heard the distant roar of other artillery, no
doubt that of Haesler’s Corps, which had apparently crossed the river
somewhere in the neighbourhood of Renishaw, and advancing via Eckington
had established themselves on the high ground, about five hundred and
twenty feet in altitude, just north of Ridgeway, whence they were able
to pour in an enfilading fire all along the British position from its
centre at Woodhouse almost to Catcliffe itself. This rendered our
position serious, and although the German guns had opposed to them the
southernmost flank from Woodhouse to Norton Woodseats, yet it was plain
that the main portion of the British defence was in process of being
“turned.”
The heavy firing continued, and at last, under cover of it, the rear
attack now began some two hours after the opening of the fight.
The 13th Division, under Doppschutz, were evidently advancing by the
main Doncaster road. Their advance guard, which had already occupied
Rotherham, had also seized the bridge which the invaders had neither
time nor material to demolish, and now swept on across it, although
exposed to a heavy onslaught from that line of the British position
between Tinsley and Brinsworth. Those sturdy, stolid Westphalians and
bearded men of Lorraine still kept on. Numbers dropped, and the bridge
was quickly strewn with dead and dying. Yet nothing checked the steady
advance of that irresistible wave of humanity.
Down the River Rother, at Kanklow Bridge, a similar scene was being
enacted. The railway bridge at Catcliffe was also taken by storm, and at
Woodhouse Mill the 14th Division, under Von Kehler, made a terrific and
successful dash, as they also did at Beighton.
The river itself was about an average distance of a mile in front of the
British position, and although as heavy a fire as possible was directed
upon all approaches to it, yet the Germans were not to be denied.
Utterly indifferent to any losses, they still swept on in an
overwhelming tide, leaving at the most not more than ten per cent. of
casualties to be dealt with by the perfectly equipped ambulances in
their rear. So, for the most part, the various regiments constituting
the divisions of the two German commanders found themselves shaken, but
by no means thwarted. On the west bank of the river, the steep slopes
rising from Beighton to Woodhouse gave a certain amount of dead ground,
under cover of which the foreign legions took refuge, in order to
dispose themselves for the final assault.
A similar state of things had taken place to the south. General Graf
Haesler had flung both his divisions across the river, with but little
opposition. The 15th, composed mainly of men of the Rhine, under Von
Kluser, crossed at Killamarsh and Metherthorpe Station, while the 16th,
under Lieut.-General Stolz, crossed at Renishaw, and, striking
north-easterly in the direction of Ridgeway, closed in as they advanced,
till at length they were enabled to be within effective reach of their
comrades on the right.
The German attack had now developed into an almost crescent-shaped
formation, and about noon Von Bistram, the commander-in-chief, issued
his final orders for the assault.
The cavalry of the VIIth German Corps under Major-General von Landsberg,
commanding the 13th Cavalry Brigade, and the 14th Cavalry Brigade,
consisting of Westphalian Hussars and Uhlans, under Major-General von
Weder, were massed in the neighbourhood of Greasborough, whence it might
be expected that at the critical stage of the engagement if the British
defences gave way they might be launched upon the retiring Englishmen.
Similarly in the valley over by Middle Handley, a little south of
Eckington, were found the 15th and 16th Cavalry Brigades of the VIIIth
Corps, consisting of the 15th of Cuirassiers and Hussars of the Rhine,
and the 16th of Westphalians, and the Grand Duke of Baden’s Hussars,
under that well-known soldier, Major-General von Briefen. All these were
equally ready to advance in a northerly direction to strike the crushing
blow at the first of the many important cities which was their
objective.
Unless the scheme of von Bistram, the German generalissimo in the North,
was ill-conceived, then it was plain, even to the defenders, that
Sheffield must eventually give way before the overpowering force opposed
to it.
Within the city of Sheffield the excitement now rose to fever-heat.
It was known that the enemy had closed in upon the defences, and were
now across the river, ready at any moment to continue their advance,
which, as a matter of fact, had developed steadily without intermission,
notwithstanding the heroic efforts of the defenders.
In these days of smokeless powder it was hard for the Germans to see
where the British lines of defence were actually located, but the heavy
pounding of the artillery duel, which had been going on since early
morning, was now beginning to weaken as the German infantry, company by
company, regiment by regiment, and brigade by brigade, were calmly
launched to the attack. They were themselves masking the fire of the
cannon of their own comrades as, by desperate rushes, they gradually
ascended the slopes before them.
The objective of the VIIth Corps seemed to be the strongpoint which has
already been referred to as dominating the position a little west of
Catcliffe, and the VIIIth Corps were clearly directing their energies on
the salient angle of the defence which was to be found a little south of
Woodhouse. From this latter point the general line of the British
position from Woodhouse north to Tinsley would then be turned.
The British stood their ground with the fearless valour of Englishmen.
Though effective defence seemed from the very first futile, steady and
unshaken volleys rang out from every knoll, hillock, and shelter-trench
in that long line manned by the sturdy Yorkshire heroes. Machine-guns
rattled and spat fire, and pom-poms worked with regularity, hurling
their little shells in a ceaseless stream into the invaders, but all,
alas! to no purpose. Where one German fell, at least three appeared to
take his place. The enemy seemed to rise from the very ground. The more
stubborn the defence, the more numerous the Germans seemed to become,
gaps in their fighting line being reinforced in that ruthless manner
which is such a well-known principle in German tactics--namely, that the
commander must not be sparing in his men, but fling forward
reinforcements at whatever cost.
Thus up the storm-swept glacis reaching from the Rother struggled
thousands of Germans in a tide that could not be stemmed, halting and
firing as they advanced, until it became clear that an actual
hand-to-hand combat was imminent.
The British had done all that men could. There was no question of
surrender. They were simply swept away as straws before a storm. Dead
and dying were on every hand, ambulances were full, and groaning men
were being carried by hundreds to the rear. General Woolmer saw that the
day was lost, and at last, with choking emotion, he was compelled to
give that order which no officer can ever give unless to save useless
bloodshed--“Retire!--Retire upon Sheffield itself!”
Bugles rang out, and the whistles of the officers pierced the air. Then
in as orderly a manner as was possible in the circumstances, and amid
the victorious shouts from thousands of German throats, the struggling
units fell back upon the city.
The outlook was surely black enough. Worse was, however, yet to follow.
In the line of retreat all roads were blocked with endless masses of
wagons and ambulances, and in order to fall back at all men had to take
to the open fields and clamber over hedges, so that all semblance of
order was very quickly lost.
Thus the retreat became little short of a rout.
Presently a shout rang out. “The cavalry! The cavalry!”
And then was seen a swarm of big Uhlans riding down from the north at a
hand-gallop, evidently prepared to cut off the routed army.
By Tinsley Park a body of Volunteers were retreating in an orderly
manner, when the alarm of the cavalry advance reached their ears. Their
colonel, a red-faced, bearded old gentleman, wearing the green ribbon of
the V.D., and who in private life was a brewery’s manager at Tadcaster,
rose in his stirrups and, turning round towards the croup of his
somewhat weedy steed, ejaculated the words in a hoarse and raucous
bellow: “Soaky Poo!”
His men wondered what he meant. Some halted, believing it to be a new
order which demanded further attention, until a smart young subaltern,
smiling behind his hand, shouted out, “Sauve qui peut--Every man for
himself!”
And at this there was a helter-skelter flight on the part of the whole
battalion.
The Uhlans, however, were not to be denied, and, circling round through
Attercliffe, and thence south towards Richmond Park, they effectively
placed themselves across the line of retreat of many of the fugitives.
The latter practically ran straight into the lines of the Germans, who
called to them to lay down their arms, and in half an hour along the
cordon over two thousand five hundred British of all arms found
themselves prisoners in the hands of Von Landsberg, upon whose brigade
the brunt of this attack had fallen.
General von Wedel, of the 14th Cavalry Brigade, was not inactive. He
pursued the flying columns along all the roads and country north-east of
the city. From the south came news of the cavalry of the VIIIth Corps,
which had circled through Dronfield, Woodhouse, Totley, along Abbey
Dale, till they made an unresisted entry into Sheffield from the south.
Within the town it was quickly seen that the day was lost. All
resistance had been beaten down by the victorious invaders, and now, at
the Town Hall, the British flag was hauled down, and the German ensign
replaced it. From every street leading out of the city to the west
poured a flying mob of disorganised British troops, evidently bent upon
making the best of their way into the hilly district of the Peak of
Derbyshire, where, in the course of time, they might hope to reorganise
and re-establish themselves.
The German pursuit, although very strenuous on the part of the cavalry
as far as effecting the occupation of the city was concerned, did not
extend very much beyond it. Clearly the invaders did not want to be
burdened with a large number of British prisoners whom they had no means
of interning, and whom it would be difficult to place on parole. What
they wanted was to strike terror in the great cities of the north.
Sheffield was now theirs. Nearly all the ammunition and stores of the
defenders had fallen into their hands, and they were enabled to view,
with apparent equanimity, the spectacle of retreating masses of British
infantry, yeomanry, and artillery. Westwards along the network of roads
leading in the direction of the High Peak, Derwent Dale, Bradfield,
Buxton, and on to Glossop, the British were fast retreating, evidently
making Manchester their objective.
Sheffield was utterly dumbfounded. The barricades had been broken down
and swept away. The troops, of whom they had hoped so much, had been
simply swept away, and now the streets were full of burly foreigners.
George Street swarmed with Westphalian infantry and men of Lorraine; in
Church Street a squadron of Uhlans were drawn up opposite the Sheffield
and Hallamshire Bank, while the sidewalk was occupied by piled arms of
the 39th Fusilier Regiment. In the space around the Town Hall the 6th
Infantry Regiment of the Rhine and a regiment of Cuirassiers were
standing at ease. Many of the stalwart sons of the Fatherland were seen
to light their pipes and stolidly enjoy a smoke, while officers in small
groups stood here and there discussing the events of the victorious day.
The saddest scenes were to be witnessed at the Royal Infirmary, in
Infirmary Road, at the Royal Hospital in West Street, and even in some
of the vacant wards in the Jessop Hospital for Women in Victoria Street,
which had to be requisitioned for the accommodation of the crowds of
wounded of both nations, so constantly being brought in by carts,
carriages, motor-cars, and even cabs.
The St. John’s Ambulance Brigade, with many ladies, were doing all they
could to render aid, while the Queen Victoria Jubilee Institute for
Nurses was called upon for all available help. Every place where sick
could be accommodated, including the well-known George Woofindin
Convalescent Home, was crowded to overflowing with sufferers, while
every doctor in Sheffield bore his part in unceasing surgical work. But
the number of dead on both sides it was impossible to estimate.
At the Town Hall the Lord Mayor, aldermen, and councillors assembled,
and met the German General, who sternly and abruptly demanded the
payment of half a million pounds sterling in gold as an indemnity,
together with the production of all stores that the German Army should
require in order that they could re-victual.
In reply the Lord Mayor, after consulting with the Council, stated that
he would call a meeting of all bank managers and heads of the great
manufacturing firms in order that the demand might be, as far as
possible, complied with. This answer was promised at five p.m.
Meanwhile, on the notice-board outside the Town Hall, a proclamation was
affixed by the Chief of the German Staff, a sentry being posted on
either side of it to prevent it being torn down.
Copies were sent to the offices of the local newspapers, and within half
an hour its tenor was known in every part of the city. Throughout the
night German cavalry patrolled all the main streets, most of the
infantry being now reassembled into their brigades, divisions, and army
corps on the southern outskirts of the city, and in Norton, Coal Aston,
Dronfield, and Whittington were being established the headquarters of
the four different divisions of which the VII. and VIII. Corps
respectively were composed.