Guards Brigades on their splendid success to-day.
The men were in the highest spirits, and that evening they had a quiet
time even in the front trench, so quiet that there was no difficulty
in getting supplies up. During the night each battalion was ordered to
thin out the front line, as there were far too many men in the trench;
this order was carried out, but next morning it was found that still
further thinning had to be done.
[Sidenote: Sept. 26.]
On the 26th the 2nd Battalion Grenadiers and Irish Guards received
orders to try and push patrols on to the ridge which ran 800 yards
east of Lesbœufs; but, although this might have been possible the
night before, it was found to be impracticable now as the Germans had
had time to recover, and had established a strong line of posts with
machine-guns, so that our patrols were unable to advance more than 300
yards.
That night the 2nd Battalion Grenadiers was relieved by the 2nd
Battalion Irish Guards from the 2nd Guards Brigade, and marched back
to the Citadel Camp, where it arrived at 4 A.M. on the 27th, after
stopping on the way at the south end of Bernafay Wood for hot food
provided by the cookers.
The casualties in the Battalion were 108 killed, 222 wounded, and 12
missing, making a total of 312 excluding officers. Considering what
had been accomplished this was surprisingly little, but the percentage
of officers was very high, the result, no doubt, of the fact that the
wire had not been cut at the first objective. Captain A. K. S.
Cunninghame, Lieutenant the Hon. W. A. D. Parnell, Lieutenant M. A.
Knatchbull-Hugessen, and Lieutenant G. A. Arbuthnot were killed, and
Captain Harcourt-Vernon, Captain Beaumont-Nesbitt, Lieutenant A. F.
Irvine, Lieutenant H. G. Wiggins, and Lieutenant R. B. B. Wright were
wounded.
The following order was issued by General Pereira to the 1st Guards
Brigade:
2ND BATT. GRENADIER GUARDS――
You have again maintained the high traditions of the 1st
Guards Brigade when called upon a second time in the battle
of the Somme. For five days previous to the assault the 2nd
and 3rd Battalions Coldstream Guards held the trenches under
constant heavy shell-fire and dug many hundred yards of
assembly and communication trenches, this work being
constantly interrupted by the enemy’s artillery. The 2nd
Battalion Grenadier Guards and 1st Battalion Irish Guards,
though under shell-fire in their bivouacs, were kept clear
of the trenches until the evening of 24th September, and
were given the task of carrying by assault all the
objectives to be carried by this Brigade. Nothing deterred
them in this attack, not even the fact that in places the
enemy wire was cut in the face of rifle and machine-gun
fire, and in spite of all resistance and heavy losses the
entire main enemy defensive line was captured.
Every battalion in the Brigade carried out its task to the
full.
The German Reserve Division, which includes the 238th,
239th, and 240th Regiments, and which opposed you for many
weeks at Ypres, left the salient on the 18th September. You
have now met them in the open, a worthy foe, but you have
filled their trenches with their dead and have driven them
before you in headlong flight.
I cannot say how proud I am to have had the honour of
commanding the 1st Guards Brigade in this battle, a Brigade
which has proved itself to be the finest in the British
Army.
The Brigade is now under orders for rest and training, and
it must now be our object to keep up the high standard of
efficiency, and those who have come to fill our depleted
ranks will strive their utmost to fill worthily the place of
those gallant officers and men who have laid down their
lives for a great cause.
C. E. PEREIRA, Brigadier-General,
Commanding 1st Guards Brigade.
_September 28, 1916._
THE 3RD BATTALION
[Sidenote: 3rd Batt.]
At the beginning of September the 3rd Battalion Grenadiers was at
Morlancourt, being trained with the rest of the 2nd Guards Brigade. On
the 9th the Brigade moved into camp at Happy Valley and on the 12th it
marched to Carnoy.
The following officers of the 3rd Battalion took part in the attack of
September 15, 1916:
Lieut.-Colonel B. N. Sergison-Brooke, D.S.O. Commanding Officer.
Capt. O. Lyttelton Adjutant.
Capt. G. G. Gunnis Bombing Officer.
Lieut. A. O. Whitehead Asst. ” ”
Capt. R. Wolrige-Gordon No. 1 Company.
Lieut. C. G. Gardner ” ”
Lieut. W. A. Stainton ” ”
Lieut. E. H. J. Wynne ” ”
Capt. the Hon, R. P. Stanhope No. 2 Company.
Lieut. G. F. R. Hirst ” ”
2nd Lieut. M. Thrupp ” ”
2nd Lieut. D. W. Cassy ” ”
Capt. F. J. V. B. Hopley No. 3 Company.
Lieut. W. Champneys ” ”
2nd Lieut. J. F. Worsley ” ”
2nd Lieut. G. M. Cornish ” ”
Capt. A. K. Mackenzie No. 4 Company.
Lieut. R. Asquith ” ”
2nd Lieut. G. D. Jackson ” ”
2nd Lieut. H. St. J. Williams ” ”
Lieut. A. T. Logan, R.A.M.C. Medical Officer.
[Sidenote: Sept. 12-13.]
On the night of the 12th the 2nd Guards Brigade was ordered to relieve
the right subsection of the 3rd Guards Brigade. In the front line was
placed the 2nd Battalion Irish Guards, with the 1st Battalion Scots
Guards in support, while the two battalions which were eventually to
undertake the attack, the 3rd Battalion Grenadiers and 1st Battalion
Coldstream, remained behind in reserve. Orders were given to the 2nd
Battalion Irish Guards to clear away isolated posts in front, where it
was reported that some Germans were lurking, and this was successfully
done; but an attack that was afterwards organised with the 71st and
16th Infantry Brigades was not quite so successful.
[Sidenote: Sept. 14.]
Up to this point the 3rd Battalion Grenadiers had stayed in reserve.
Its packs, greatcoats, and surplus kit were now sent into the
Divisional store at Méaulte, and bombs, sand-bags, tools, flares,
etc., issued to the men for the attack on the following day. The
Battalion marched off by companies at 9 P.M. to take up its position.
The following orders were issued by Brigadier-General J. Ponsonby,
commanding the 2nd Guards Brigade:
2ND GUARDS BRIGADE
1. The Fourth Army will attack the enemy’s defences between
Combles Ravine and Martinpuich on Z day with the object of
seizing Morval, Lesbœufs, Gueudecourt, Flers.
The French will attack simultaneously on the right, and the
Reserve Army on the left.
The attack is to be pushed with the utmost vigour all along the
line until the most distant objectives are reached. The failure
of a unit on the flank is not to prevent other units from pushing
on to their final objective.
As soon as the final objectives have been captured by the
infantry, the cavalry will advance and will seize the high ground
Rocquigny――Villers-au-Flos――Riencourt-les-Bapaume――Bapaume.
The Guards Division is to be prepared to support the cavalry on
the above line at the earliest possible moment.
2. The objectives allotted to Guards Brigades are marked on the
attached map as follows:
First objective, Green (X line).
Second ” Brown (Xa line).
Third ” Blue (Y line).
Fourth ” Red (Z line).
2nd Guards Brigade will be on the right. 1st Guards Brigade will
be on the left. 3rd Guards Brigade will be in reserve. 71st
Infantry Brigade will be on the right of 2nd Guards Brigade.
3. The Brigade will attack with two battalions in front and two
battalions in support.
3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards will be right front battalion.
1st Battalion Coldstream Guards will be left front battalion.
1st Battalion Scots Guards will be right support battalion.
2nd Battalion Irish Guards will be left support battalion.
4. Battalions will be formed up on a company front in column of
half-companies. Troops will be in single rank. Each battalion
will therefore advance in four waves.
5. 2nd Guards Brigade Machine-gun Company will detail guns as
follows:
I. Two guns to advance with 3/G.G. and two guns with 1/C.G. These
guns will take position in the third wave on the inner flank of
the right and left flank platoons respectively.
II. Four guns to advance with 1/S.G., and four guns with 2/I.G.
Four of these guns will take position in the sixth wave on the
inner flank of the right and left platoons respectively. The
other four will take the same position in the eighth wave.
The remaining three guns will advance in the centre of the ninth
wave.
6. Four Stokes guns will be detailed to advance on the flanks of
the ninth wave.
1/S.G. and 2/I.G. will find carrying parties of one officer and
fifty men each to advance with these guns.
Remaining guns will be in Brigade Reserve, with 76th Field
Company, R.E.
7. The formation for attack will accordingly be as follows:
1/C.G. 3/G.G.
B Coy. A Coy. B Coy. A Coy.
First Wave 6 5 2 1 6 5 2 1
Second Wave 8 7 4 3 8 7 4 3
D Coy. C Coy. D Coy. C Coy.
Third Wave 14 13 10 9 14 13 10 9
2 2
M.G.’s M.G.’s
Fourth Wave 16 15 12 11 16 15 12 11
2/I.G. 1/S.G.
B Coy. A Coy. B Coy. A Coy.
Fifth Wave 6 5 2 1 6 5 2 1
Sixth Wave 8 7 4 3 8 7 4 3
2 2
M.G.’s M.G.’s
D Coy. C Coy. D Coy. C Coy.
Seventh Wave 14 13 10 9 14 13 10 9
Eighth Wave 16 15 12 11 16 15 12 11
2 2
M.G.’s M.G.’s
Ninth Wave S.G. S.G. 4 M.G.’s S.G. S.G.
Carrying Parties.
Sapping platoons will be formed up in rear of Battalion H.Q.,
which will move in the centre of the fourth and eighth waves. The
distance between waves will be 50 yards.
8. Details of artillery barrage are given in Appendix A.
9. Nine tanks will advance from Guards Division front. They will
probably start from each successive line well in advance of the
attacking troops.
The action of the troops will be entirely independent of the
action of the tanks, and will be carried out as ordered, whether
the tanks are held up or not.
10. The assaults on successive objectives will be delivered at
the following times:
Attack on X line at zero.
Attack on Xa line at zero + 1 hour.
(This second assault is limited to 1st Guards Brigade. 2nd Guards
Brigade will not move till time for third assault.)
Attack on Y line at zero + 2 hours.
Attack on Z line at zero + 4 hours and 30 minutes.
11. The action of the waves of attack will be as follows:
(_a_) First four waves will pass over X line and lie down close
in rear of the barrage, which will halt till zero + 1 hour and 10
minutes at X + 200 yards.
Fifth and sixth waves will clear up X line.
Seventh and eighth waves will clear up X line and lie down in
rear of fourth wave.
Ninth wave will lie down short of X line.
(_b_) At zero + 2 hours all waves will advance to the Y line.
Seventh and eighth waves will advance in front of fifth and sixth
waves. Ninth wave will be in rear as before.
(_c_) On reaching Y line, first four waves will pass over Y line
and lie down close in rear of barrage as before.
Seventh and eighth waves will clear up Y line.
Fifth and sixth waves will pass over Y line and lie down in rear
of fourth wave.
Ninth wave will lie down short of Y line.
(_d_) Half an hour after reaching Y line all Commanding Officers
will meet at Battalion Headquarters of 3rd Bn. Grenadier Guards,
and will confer on attack on Z line.
Lieutenant-Colonel Brooke, D.S.O., 3rd Bn. Grenadier Guards, if
present, will command the attack on the Y line.
In the absence of Lieut.-Colonel Brooke, senior officer present
will command.
Stokes Gun Sections will act in accordance with orders of O.C.
attack.
12. It is the object of these dispositions to ensure a steady
flow of troops so as to press the strongest possible attack
against each successive objective.
Rear lines will reinforce leading lines wherever they appear
thin.
No troops will be left in any objective when the attack goes on.
The task of the two leading Guards Brigades is to drive the
attack through Lesbœufs to the ultimate objective by every means
in their power.
3rd Guards Brigade will be in close reserve to carry out any of
the following duties, as may be required:
(_a_) To pass through Z and press the attack behind the cavalry.
(_b_) To make a defensive flank, if the attack on our flanks is
held up.
(_c_) To support the attack of the leading Guards Brigades, if
held up anywhere.
13. 76th Field Company, R.E., will be in Brigade Reserve. It
will be formed up in a place to be notified later, and will await
orders from the Brigade.
14. Ninth Squadron, R.F.C., will have two contact aeroplanes in
the air from zero to dark on Z day, and again from 6.30 A.M. to 9
A.M. on Z + 1 day.
Flares will be lit as follows:
(i.) On obtaining each objective.
(ii.) At 12 noon and 5 P.M. on Z day.
(iii.) At 6.30 A.M. on Z + 1 day.
Red flares will be used by infantry, Green flares by cavalry.
15. All transport will be packed up and ready to move forward at
1 hour’s notice after zero + 4 hours.
Brigade Transport Officer will report at Divisional Headquarters,
Minden Post, at zero + 2 hours, and await orders there.
16. Separate orders will be issued regarding――
I. Supply of rations.
” ” water.
” ” S.A.A.
” ” Stokes ammunition.
” ” bombs.
II. Disposal of prisoners.
III. Medical arrangements.
17. Watches will be synchronised at 12.30 P.M. and 6.30 P.M. on Y
day by telephone from this Office.
18. Brigade Headquarters will close at Bernafay Wood at 5 P.M.
to-morrow and open at T.19.a.1/2.3½ at the same hour.
Acknowledge. E. W. M. GRIGG, Captain,
Brigade-Major.
13/9/16.
The following orders are supplementary to this Office No. 129/G. The
latter will be amended, where required, accordingly.
1. 3/G.G., 1/C.G. will relieve 2/I.G. in the line to-night.
2/I.G. will move back to its assembling area on relief, and
remain there till zero hour.
3/G.G. will march off at 9 P.M.
1/C.G. will march off at 9.30 P.M.
1/S.G. will march off at 10.45 P.M.
T.M.B. will march in rear of 1/C.G.
Company guides from 2/I.G. will be at Brigade Headquarters,
Bernafay Wood, for relieving battalions at the following hours:
3/G.G. 9.45 P.M.
1/C.G. 10.15 P.M.
1/S.G. 11 P.M.
2. Forming-up will be carried out as follows:
(_a_) Every battalion is provided with printed boards to mark the
waves and the flanks of platoons.
3/G.G., 1/C.G. and 1/S.G. will detail marking parties of 1
officer and 12 O.R. each to put these out before relief to-night.
Brigade Signal Officer will provide three guides for this party
to be at Brigade Headquarters, Bernafay Wood, at 7 P.M.
(_b_) In order to avoid the enemy barrage, all battalions will
form east of the road from _G_ of Ginchy (1/20,000 Sheet 57 C.,
S.W.) and the southern end of the Sunken Road in T.14.a. In order
to make room, battalions will feel their right in forming up as
far as a line running parallel to the direction of the attack
through Ginchy Telegraph.
On starting at zero hour, battalions will incline left until the
left flank is in touch with the right flank of 1st Guards
Brigade.
(_c_) The direction of the attack is 58 degrees magnetic from the
cross-roads in T.14.a.
Marking boards will be put out on a line 148 degrees magnetic
from left flank mark, or 328 degrees magnetic from the right
flank mark. Right and left flanks have been marked in advance by
2/I.G.
3. The dividing line between battalions in attack on X and Y
lines is as follows:
X line. T.8.d.9.4.
Y line. Road junction T.3.d.5.2.
4. 2/I.G. will be formed up in two waves. First wave will clear
up second German trench in X line.
Second wave will clear up first German trench in X line. Both
these waves will clear up Y line.
Officer commanding 1st Bn. Scots Guards will make arrangements
for clearing the part of these two trenches in his area.
5. The creeping barrage will open at zero hour on a line at right
angles to the direction of the attack through cross-roads in
T.14.a.
It will advance and halt thereafter as laid down in Appendix A to
this Office No. 129/G.
6. Prisoners will be collected at Battalion Headquarters under
Battalion arrangements, and sent back to Divisional Collecting
Station, Crater Post, A.8.a.6.3, when possible.
They should be made to carry wounded when practicable.
(Signed) E. W. M. GRIGG, Captain,
Brigade-Major.
14/9/16.
The first phase of the attack of the Guards Division was to be carried
out with Pereira’s Brigade on the left and Ponsonby’s Brigade on the
right, while Corkran’s Brigade would be in reserve. To the 2nd Brigade
was allotted a front of 500 yards, north-east of Ginchy, and the
attack was to be carried out by the 3rd Battalion Grenadiers on the
right with the 1st Battalion Scots Guards in support, and the 1st
Battalion Coldstream on the left with the 2nd Battalion Irish Guards
in support. In order to evade the heavy barrage which the Germans
usually put down along the east of Ginchy and Guillemont villages, it
was decided to assemble the whole Brigade east of Ginchy.
This precaution had the advantage that the assembly trench was not
shelled, but there were certain disadvantages. In the first place, the
assembly ground was not square with the line of attack, so that a
change of direction was necessary after the attack had started, and,
in the second place, it was by no means easy to keep the 2nd Guards
Brigade in immediate touch with the 1st Guards Brigade. It had been
intended to align the Brigade on painted boards showing the waves and
the flanks of the platoons, but these showed up so bright in the clear
moonlight that they were thrown away and men were put out as markers
instead.
[Sidenote: Sept. 15.]
The 3rd Battalion Grenadiers was formed up in four waves, all the men
being in single rank, and companies in columns of half-companies, with
fifty yards’ distance between platoons. Their distribution was as
follows:
No. 4 Company. No. 3 Company.
No. 14 Platoon. No. 13 Platoon. No. 10 Platoon. No. 9 Platoon.
” 16 ” ” 15 ” ” 12 ” ” 11 ”
No. 2 Company. No. 1 Company.
No. 6 Platoon. No. 5 Platoon. No. 2 Platoon. No. 1 Platoon.
” 8 ” ” 7 ” ” 4 ” ” 3 ”
At 4 A.M. the Battalion was in position and everything was ready.
Sandwiches and an issue of rum were served out to the men, who then
tried to snatch a little sleep. Complete silence reigned, except for
the sound of the tanks making their way slowly to their places. At 6
A.M. exactly our heavy guns started, and fired about forty shells
apiece in quick succession. This immediately woke up the enemy and
brought down their barrage in exactly the place where it was expected,
but of course there were no troops there. Orders were passed down at
6.15 to fix bayonets and get ready, and five minutes later the attack
started.
The first objective or Green line lay over the ridge about 600 yards
away, and it was hoped that this would be reached without any serious
opposition. The ground in and around Ginchy was a battered mass of
irregular ridges and shell-holes, which overlapped and stretched away
into the early morning mist. Direction became a matter of the greatest
difficulty, as there were absolutely no landmarks to go by. No one
except the Irish Guards had seen the ground before, as it had been
found impossible to send officers up during the heavy fighting of the
last days. On the map it seemed a simple matter to pick out the
Lesbœufs road and the church of Lesbœufs, either of which would have
served as a guide, but on the actual ground, which was just a great
desert of shell-holes, with our own barrage ahead and the enemy’s
shells falling all round, it was practically impossible to distinguish
anything.
Soon after it started off the 3rd Battalion Grenadiers came on
unexpected intermediate lines. These were no more than connected
shell-holes, but had served to shelter a number of Germans, who fought
with the utmost bravery. The guns had not bombarded them, while the
creeping barrage had passed over too quickly to do much harm. Though
the men holding them were all shot or bayoneted, and the delay thus
caused was very slight, it had the effect of breaking the regularity
of the formation and telescoping up the men in the rear.
Almost at the outset Captain A. K. Mackenzie was hit and fell, as he
led his company to the attack. Though mortally wounded, he got up
again and struggled on, still waving his men forward. Once more he
fell, and this time was unable to rise, but even then he managed to
raise himself on one knee and cheer the company on. Afterwards he was
carried down on a stretcher, but never recovered and died in the
ambulance on the way. About the same time Lieutenant Raymond Asquith
was shot through the chest and killed as he led the first half of No.
4 Company. He had endeared himself to both officers and men in an
extraordinary degree since he joined the regiment at the beginning of
the war, and his preference of service with his Battalion to the good
staff appointment which he had just given up had won the admiration of
all ranks. Lieutenant E. H. J. Wynne was mortally wounded by a German
officer in one of the intermediate lines, and Lieutenant C. G. Gardner
was killed soon afterwards. Captain G. G. Gunnis, Lieutenant A.
Whitehead, Second Lieutenant H. Williams, and Second Lieutenant J.
Worsley were wounded.
While these intermediate lines were being cleared, an extremely heavy
machine-gun fire was opened from the right flank, where the Sixth
Division had been held up at the start. The tanks which were to have
flattened out the wire and helped the advance never appeared, and so
it came about that, from the moment it crossed over the Ginchy ridge
and came within view of the enemy’s lines, the 2nd Guards Brigade was
committed to hard and continuous fighting in a position of much
difficulty.
By now the Brigade had got very much mixed up, and, though still all
together, continued its advance as a brigade rather than as four
battalions. Whenever the leading wave met with any check, those in
rear, impatient to get at the enemy, closed in on them, and thus
companies and even battalions became intermingled. As an inevitable
result of this quick advance the right flank of the Brigade was
completely exposed, and Lieut.-Colonel Sergison-Brooke deciding that
some protection was essential, threw out a company as a defensive
flank to within 200 yards of the enemy’s flanking trench, to keep down
the fire, while the rest of the 3rd Battalion Grenadiers pressed on to
the main assault.
It had been arranged that after the first objective had been captured
our artillery should bombard the second objective and prepare it for
attack, so when these lines were carried there was some uncertainty as
to whether the advance should be continued or not. In spite of the
casualties the 3rd Battalion Grenadiers, with the 1st Battalion Scots
Guards, continued to push on till it reached the first objective, and
was able to secure it according to the specified time, though the task
was no easy one. In some parts between the right and left columns of
the assault, and also on the extreme right, the wire had been
untouched, but as soon as any man gained a foothold in the trench he
at once proceeded to clear the way by bombing. Curiously enough,
though the Germans had fought with such tenacity in the intermediate
lines, the garrison of the first objective offered comparatively
little resistance, and surrendered in large numbers.
The men were out of breath, as the pace had been hot, and they were
carrying a good weight, so a pause in this first objective was not
unwelcome. The prisoners were grouped together, and sent back in
batches; in one part of the line the German machine-gunners caught
sight of them and turned their guns on them, but the prisoners
scurried off and ran as fast as they could back through our lines.
On the right Captain Wolrige-Gordon with No. 1 Company was attempting
to keep touch with the Sixth Division, and as the Battalion advanced
he started firing down the enemy’s trench where the machine-guns were
holding it up. At first the Germans were puzzled, but when they
grasped where the fire came from their snipers got to work and
accounted for many men before Captain Wolrige-Gordon could join the
rest of the Battalion.
In the meantime the three battalions of Coldstream advanced in a
splendid manner, carrying all before them. When men in line are going
forward with no reliable landmarks to guide them, small incidents,
quite insignificant in themselves, will often cause a slight change of
direction without their being aware of it. On starting off the 1st
Battalion Coldstream met with little resistance, and in its endeavour
to rush the foremost German trenches the left flank of the Battalion
moved ahead faster than our creeping barrage. Quickly realising what
had happened, the men checked the pace and hung back for a little,
while the right flank of the Battalion still pressed on. The check was
momentary, but caused the whole Battalion to swing slightly to the
left. This led the 2nd and 3rd Battalions Coldstream in the 1st Guards
Brigade also to ease off slightly to the left, and, as often happens,
the slight deviation was exaggerated as the advance continued, and
soon all the Coldstream battalions were moving in a northerly instead
of a north-easterly direction. A switch trench running at an angle
into the German main line gave them the impression that they were
going in the right direction, as it seemed square with their advance.
The 2nd Battalion Irish Guards swung with the 1st Battalion
Coldstream, but the 1st Battalion Scots Guards followed the 3rd
Battalion Grenadiers.
While this was happening the 2nd Battalion Grenadiers from the 1st
Guards Brigade, having completely lost sight of the 2nd and 3rd
Battalions Coldstream as it passed through the enemy’s barrage,
continued to advance according to its orders, and eventually forced
its way to the first objective, where to its surprise it found itself
between the 3rd Battalion Grenadiers and the 1st Battalion Irish
Guards.
The situation was most complicated, and yet all was well. The
Division, as a Division, had swept everything in front of it, although
not quite in the order in which it should have moved. But parts of the
German trenches remained untouched, and these had to be dealt with
before any farther progress could be made. When the 1st Battalion
Coldstream began to swing to the left, a gap was made between the two
front battalions of the 2nd Guards Brigade, which widened out as the
advance progressed. Observing this, Captain Oliver Lyttelton pushed up
100 men of the 3rd Battalion Grenadiers to fill the intermediate
space, but as the gap gradually extended, and the smoke and dust made
it impossible for them to see where they were going, these hundred men
were able to keep touch with the 1st Battalion Coldstream only, and
became detached from the rest of the Battalion.
Progress towards the first objective was made very difficult by the
failure of the Sixth Division to take the Quadrilateral. As soon as
the attacking lines showed themselves they were met by a sweeping fire
from the enemy’s machine-guns on the right flank, and were mown down.
After the first objective had been entered, and Lieut.-Colonel
Campbell, Coldstream Guards, was organising an attack upon the second
objective, it was discovered that the whole of the first objective was
not entirely secured. An attack was immediately made on that portion
of the line still occupied by the enemy, and Lieut.-Colonel Guy
Baring, who commanded the 1st Battalion Coldstream, in attempting to
gain touch with the remainder of the Brigade from which he had, for
the moment, been separated, left the trench to advance over the top of
the ground when he was struck by a bullet in the head and instantly
killed.
Lieut.-Colonel Campbell then ordered Captain Lyttelton to bomb down
the trench together with a party of the 2nd Irish Guards under
Lieutenant Mylne. But hardly had they started when the Germans came
running down the trench, holding up their hands. They were being
pursued by another bombing party, composed, not of the 3rd Battalion
Grenadiers as might have been expected, but the 2nd Battalion
Grenadiers.
Now that the whole of the first objective was in our hands the advance
towards the second objective at once took place. On the extreme right
no ground could be gained, but farther towards the centre the 3rd
Battalion Grenadiers reached a position which it assumed to be the
second objective, but was in fact, according to the report from the
aeroplanes, half-way between the first and second objectives.
During this last advance Captain Stanhope and Second Lieutenant
Jackson were killed. Lieutenant W. Stainton was reported missing, and
there were several conflicting stories as to what had happened to him.
Second Lieutenants Thrupp and Cassy were wounded, as well as Second
Lieutenant Cornish, who behaved with great gallantry and was
recommended for a Military Cross.
As to whether it would have been possible to push on at once into
Lesbœufs, accounts vary. Certainly those in front thought that had
reinforcements come up the town would have fallen into our hands
without further opposition. It was not known, however, that the right
flank of the Division was absolutely unprotected, and that the farther
the Division advanced the more perilous its position was bound to
become. Even if Lesbœufs had been taken, it is difficult to believe
that it could have been held against counter-attacks with the right
flank thus in the air.
The sight of the Germans retiring hastily towards Bapaume and
withdrawing their field-guns proved too tempting for some adventurous
spirits, and patrols were organised to press on towards Lesbœufs.
After consulting their maps, Captain Sir Ian Colquhoun, 1st Battalion
Scots Guards, and Captain Lyttelton, 3rd Battalion Grenadiers,
determined to keep the Germans in front of them on the move, and they
were joined soon after by Major Rocke, Captain Alexander, and
Lieutenant Mylne of the Irish Guards. Sir Ian Colquhoun had already
won a reputation as the bravest of the brave, and was credited with
having killed a large number of Germans in personal combat. The others
were very much of the same type――officers who were never content with
simply carrying out their orders, but would instantly take advantage
of any weakness in the German defence to drive a success home.
Having collected about twenty men, Sir Ian Colquhoun pushed forward to
reconnoitre towards Lesbœufs, followed soon after by Major Rocke and
Captain Alexander with some men of the Irish Guards. Captain Lyttelton
called on the men of the 3rd Battalion Grenadiers who were near, and
brought the whole party up to about 120. This party pushed on, and met
with no opposition for 800 yards. At this stage they found themselves
in an unoccupied trench running along the bottom of a little gully,
with standing crops in front of them. They could have pushed on into
Lesbœufs, but owing to their small numbers and, as they expressed it,
the ”draughtiness of their flanks,” they decided to hold on where they
were and send back for reinforcements. Messages were accordingly
despatched to the Brigade Headquarters, and were marked, “To be read
by all officers on the way.”
This daring attempt to capture more ground from the enemy was quite a
feasible operation, but its success undoubtedly depended on whether
reinforcements could reach them before the Germans returned. For so
small a party to try and do anything more than hold the trench until
an adequate force arrived would have been madness. Every possible
precaution was taken against surprise, and Lewis guns were placed on
each flank. From 1 P.M. onwards this gallant little band waited and
waited for the reinforcements which never arrived. Meanwhile, finding
that the British attack had spent itself, the Germans began returning
in small bodies, and soon after 5 P.M. a whole battalion was seen
advancing. The position of this party was now becoming serious.
Gradually the Germans were moving round each flank, and even getting
to their rear.
At 6 P.M. they were still doggedly holding on to their trench, being
fired at from all sides, when suddenly a company of the enemy, 250
strong, charged them in front. The surprise was complete, as the
standing crops hid the Germans till the last moment. With 250 of the
enemy rushing a trench occupied by less than 100 British troops, one
might have thought it only a matter of time before our men were all
killed or taken prisoners. But the men who had followed Major Rocke,
Sir Ian Colquhoun, and Captain Lyttelton were naturally stout
fighters, and when the order to retire was given they actually
contrived to disengage themselves and get away, after killing a good
number of the enemy. Captain Lyttelton, finding himself surrounded,
threw his empty revolver at the Germans; thinking it was a Mills bomb,
they ducked, and gave him time to scramble out of the trench and
escape.
Even then, had the Germans only stayed where they were and fired at
the retreating party, they might have inflicted considerable losses,
but they came running on, firing from the shoulder, and so allowed
these gallant men to rejoin the main British line with astonishingly
few casualties. When once they were safe, the pursuers were greeted by
such a deadly fire from our trenches that numbers of them were killed,
and the rest scattered in all directions.
Meanwhile General Ponsonby pressed for the 3rd Guards Brigade to be
sent up, but the reports which reached General Feilding from the air
showed that the troops in front were not in the positions ascribed to
them, and as the situation on both flanks of the Division was
unsatisfactory, and the Germans were reported to be massing between
Morval and Lesbœufs, he considered that it would be impossible to
throw forward all his reserves. However, the 4th Battalion Grenadiers
was ordered to reinforce the 2nd Guards Brigade, and told by General
Ponsonby to strengthen the right flank.
[Sidenote: Sept. 16.]
All that night the right flank of the 2nd Guards Brigade was being
bombed, and Captain J. Hopley, who behaved with great gallantry, at
one time had his men standing back to back and firing both ways. The
next day, September 16, the 2nd Guards Brigade was relieved by the
61st Infantry Brigade, who continued the attack, and secured the next
objective.
The percentage of officers killed and wounded in the 3rd Battalion
Grenadiers was exceptionally high; out of 22 officers who went into
action, 17 were killed or wounded. Lieut.-Colonel Sergison-Brooke was
wounded almost at the start. Captain A. K. Mackenzie, Captain the Hon.
R. P. Stanhope, Lieutenant E. H. J. Wynne, Lieutenant Raymond Asquith,
Lieutenant W. A. Stainton, Lieutenant C. G. Gardner, Second Lieutenant
G. D. Jackson were killed; Captain G. G. Gunnis and Second Lieutenant
E. G. Worsley were mortally wounded, and subsequently died; Captain F.
J. V. B. Hopley, Lieutenant W. Champneys, Lieutenant A. O. Whitehead,
Second Lieutenant M. Thrupp, Second Lieutenant D. W. Cassy, Second
Lieutenant G. M. Cornish, Second Lieutenant H. St. J. Williams, and
Second Lieutenant J. F. Worsley were wounded.
Amongst other ranks the casualties were 395 killed and wounded.
On September 20 the 3rd Battalion moved into bivouacs at Carnoy, where
it remained until the second attack of the Guards Division on the
25th. The 2nd Guards Brigade was then, however, in reserve, and, owing
to the complete success of the attack, its services were not required.
The 3rd Battalion Grenadiers was in Corps Reserve during the attack,
but returned to the Brigade in the evening. On the 26th Lieutenant C.
C. Carstairs and Second Lieutenant C. F. Johnston joined.
THE 1ST BATTALION
[Sidenote: 1st Batt.]
At the end of August the 3rd Guards Brigade went through a period of
training which lasted until September 7; during this time it stayed in
billets at Ville-sous-Corbie. Captain E. Sheppard joined the 1st
Battalion Grenadiers on September 3. On the 8th the Brigade moved up
into the line and took over Ginchy, which had just been captured by
the Sixteenth Division. The 4th Battalion Grenadiers and 1st Battalion
Welsh Guards were placed in the front trenches, while the 1st
Battalion Grenadiers and 2nd Battalion Scots Guards were in reserve.
The officers who went up with the 1st Battalion were:
Lieut.-Colonel M. E. Makgill-Crichton-Maitland Commanding Officer.
Capt. E. H. J. Duberly Adjutant.
Lieut. R. P. le P. Trench, M.C. Bombing Officer.
Lieut. A. V. L. Corry, M.C. Lewis Gun Officer.
Capt. W. D. Drury-Lowe, D.S.O. King’s Company.
Lieut. G. F. Pauling ” ”
2nd Lieut. B. G. Samuelson ” ”
Capt. A. C. Graham No. 2 Company.
Lieut. E. B. Shelley ” ”
2nd Lieut. E. G. L. King ” ”
Capt. E. N. E. M. Vaughan No. 3 Company.
2nd Lieut. O. F. Stein ” ”
2nd Lieut. C. C. T. Sharp ” ”
Capt. L. G. Fisher-Rowe No. 4 Company.
2nd Lieut. R. H. P. J. Stourton ” ”
2nd Lieut. W. H. Lovell ” ”
2nd Lieut. L. de J. Harvard Sapping Platoon.
The rest of the officers, as well as the Sergeant-Major, Senior
Drill-Sergeant, and Company Sergeant-Majors, remained behind with the
Transport.
[Sidenote: Sept. 10-11.]
At 3.30 A.M. on the 10th the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards reported that
it had completed the relief of the 48th Brigade, and was digging in on
a line 200 yards east of the south-east corner of Delville Wood to 100
yards north of Ginchy on the Flers road, and 250 yards east of the
Lesbœufs road. Its left was in touch with the 164th Brigade, but its
right was in the air. Meanwhile the 4th Battalion Grenadiers was
relieving the 47th Brigade between Guillemont and Leuze Wood. But
although both these battalions were carrying out their orders
correctly, there was a gap of at least 600 yards between them, owing
doubtless to the fact that the troops they had to relieve were not
quite in the positions they had been reported as occupying. The 47th
Brigade had been held up by the Quadrilateral, while the 48th Brigade
on its left had advanced some distance.
On learning this, Brigadier-General Corkran decided to employ some
companies from the battalions in reserve to fill up the gap, and
accordingly instructed Lieut.-Colonel Maitland to send one company to
support the 4th Battalion Grenadiers and another company to the Welsh
Guards. No. 2 Company, under Captain Graham, was despatched to Arrow
Head Copse in support of the 4th Battalion Grenadiers on the right of
the Brigade, and while going on ahead to find Lieut.-Colonel Lord
Henry Seymour, Lieutenant E. King was hit by a rifle bullet in the
leg, and Lieutenant E. B. Shelley and Lieutenant Llewellyn were
wounded shortly afterwards. Captain Vaughan, with No. 3 Company, was
instructed to place himself under the orders of Lieut.-Colonel W.
Murray-Threipland, while the rest of the Battalion remained a little
distance behind in case of emergency.
Hardly had the Welsh Guards finished their relief, when they were
attacked, and had to fight hard to maintain their position. Coming on
in great force as early as 3 A.M., the Germans began to press back the
right of their line from the sunken road. Every available man had been
hurried to the front line, where the casualties were thinning out the
ranks to an alarming extent, and even the 100 Grenadiers who had been
sent up as ammunition carriers had to be put in as supports. The Welsh
Guards had lost a good many officers and N.C.O.’s, and matters were
beginning to look serious when Captain Vaughan arrived with No. 3
Company of the 1st Battalion Grenadiers, having passed through a
barrage of 5·9 shells near Trônes Wood in artillery formation. He was
at once sent off by Lieut.-Colonel Murray-Threipland to take over the
line on the right of the Welsh Guards and relieve the Munster
Fusiliers, who had had some very heavy fighting and were much shaken.
Second Lieutenant Stein went on with the leading platoon, and the
relief was carried out by sections and completed by noon.
It was anything but a pleasant position, as both flanks were in the
air, and the Company was occupying an extended front at right angles
to the trench occupied by the Welsh Guards. Captain Vaughan was told
that the attack would probably come from the left, and made his
dispositions accordingly. He placed two sections in shell-holes in
échelon on the left, and established a double block at that end of the
trench with a strong bombing section, supported by a Lewis gun; the
other Lewis gun he stationed on the right flank. Second Lieutenant
Sharp was in charge of the left of the Company and Second Lieutenant
Stein of the right.
The day proved quiet and uneventful, the enemy showing no inclination
to advance, but at 10 P.M. their attack began. Coming on in four
waves, they not only succeeded in getting between No. 3 Company and
the Welsh Guards, but even gained a footing in the front trench. The
Lewis gun on the left did excellent work, but the men in the bombing
post were all knocked out. At the same time the Welsh Guards were
heavily attacked all down their line, and Lieut.-Colonel
Murray-Threipland sent a message to Captain Vaughan to say that his
front line was falling back somewhere to the centre of Ginchy, and
asking him to fill up the gap between them until reinforcements could
be brought up. Captain Vaughan replied that his left flank was in
contact with the enemy, and he could not, therefore, throw back that
flank, but that he had double-locked the trench on that side; if
reinforcements did not reach him soon, he would endeavour to protect
his flanks as best he could.
This Company’s situation was now becoming precarious. It had the enemy
at each end of a very long trench; enemy in front of it and enemy
behind it. It was short of bombs and practically out of ammunition. At
one time it had some of the enemy actually in the trench, but
fortunately their bayonets were still left to them, and not a German
survived to dispute possession with them. Apparently the enemy did not
know that this was an advanced trench, thinly held; probably he
thought it was his old line 100 yards farther back. In any case he
found it a hard nut to crack, in spite of his superior numbers and
obvious advantages. The men of No. 3 understood that if they gave way
it would go hard with the Welsh Guards, and refused to yield an inch.
Sergeant Whittaker showed great courage and skill with the bombing
party, and was responsible for killing a large number of Germans, as
well as holding up the enemy’s attack on the left.
Both Second Lieutenant Sharp and Second Lieutenant Stein were wounded,
in addition to many N.C.O.’s, and 56 men in all were killed, but the
rest fought on and made it plain to the enemy that they had no
intention of retiring. When the ground was afterwards cleared, over
100 Germans were found dead in front of the trench, amongst them being
a captain named von Hahen and two other officers. Throughout this
difficult operation Captain Vaughan directed the proceedings with
great coolness, and his messages were clear, precise, and cheerful.
His stubborn defence of his trench undoubtedly saved the Welsh Guards
from being surrounded.
[Illustration:
_Speaight Ltd. photographers_ _Emery Walker ph. sc._
_Brigadier-General C. E. Corkran, C.M.G._]
General Corkran in the meantime sent up two companies of the 2nd
Battalion Scots Guards to the assistance of the Welsh Guards, and they
arrived at 3.30 P.M. The remaining companies of the 1st Battalion
Grenadiers were despatched to Guillemont, while the rest of the Scots
Guards took their place near Bernafay Wood. After continuous fighting
the Welsh Guards had managed to straighten their line, and Captain
Ashton of that regiment organised some bombing attacks, and regained
all the ground lost during the day. About midnight on the 11th the
Welsh Guards were relieved by the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards.
Meanwhile the King’s Company 1st Battalion Grenadiers, under Captain
Drury-Lowe, moved into the line to fill up the gap between the left of
No. 3 Company and the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards, which now occupied
the line originally held by the Welsh Guards. In carrying out this
operation the King’s Company captured fifty German prisoners. No. 4
Company, under Captain L. G. Fisher-Rowe, moved into the line on the
left of the Scots Guards to fill up another gap there. Second
Lieutenant Stourton was wounded in the shoulder while in charge of the
carrying party of 100 men that went into the line early that
afternoon.
[Sidenote: Sept. 12.]
At 2 A.M. No. 2 Company, under Captain A. C. Graham, was ordered to
bomb along a trench running east from the right of No. 3 Company along
the south side of the Ginchy Telegraph Road, and attack the
Quadrilateral. At that time it was not known how strongly this point
was held. The formation of the bombing attack was:
Bombing party 10 men and 1 N.C.O.
Blocking party 4 ” 1 ”
Bombing party 10 ” 1 ”
One platoon under a subaltern.
Bombing party 10 men and 1 N.C.O.
Blocking party 4 ” 1 ”
Lewis gun 6 ” 1 ”
One platoon.
The Company Commander.
Two platoons.
Each bombing party was composed as follows:
2 bayonet men carrying 6 bombs each.
1 thrower carrying 6 bombs.
2 carriers carrying 12 bombs each.
1 N.C.O. carrying 6 bombs.
1 Mills adapter firer carrying 6 Mills adapters.
2 Mills adapter carriers carrying 10 Mills adapters.
2 bomb carriers carrying 12 bombs each.
Each blocking party was composed of four privates and one N.C.O.,
carrying 25 sand-bags and 1 shovel each.
Every man in the Company carried 4 Mills bombs, 4 sand-bags, and 225
rounds S.A.A., while every alternate man carried a shovel. Six men and
1 N.C.O. were left in the old line, with a Lewis gun to cover the
right flank, while No. 3 found the Lewis gun to cover the left.
All the ground had been obliterated by shells, and No. 2 Company found
its line with some difficulty and advanced to within 100 yards of the
Quadrilateral, where it was held up by machine-gun fire. Captain
Graham was killed by a shell during the advance, and Captain
Fisher-Rowe took his place, but among other ranks the casualties were
not heavy. There was nothing more to be done but to block the trench
as far as they had got and consolidate the line. At 6 A.M. the whole
Battalion made another attack, and attempted to seize the
Quadrilateral in conjunction with the Fifty-sixth Division, but the
place proved too strong. This time the Battalion lost heavily;
Lieutenant A. V. L. Corry was killed, and there was a large number of
casualties among the other ranks.
[Sidenote: Sept. 13.]
Next day the 1st Battalion Grenadiers was relieved at 2 A.M. by the
2nd Battalion Irish Guards, and went into camp at Happy Valley.
That afternoon there was a conference of Commanding Officers, when
General Corkran explained the dispositions for the impending attack.
The 1st and 2nd Guards Brigades were to attack on the 15th, while the
3rd Guards Brigade would be in reserve. The orders issued by
Brigadier-General Corkran are given below.
3RD GUARDS BRIGADE
_Operation Order, No. 59_
1. The Fourth Army will attack the enemy’s defences between
Combles Ravine and Martinpuich on the 15th September, with the
object of seizing Morval, Lesbœufs, Gueudecourt, and Flers, and
breaking through the enemy’s system of defence.
The French are attacking simultaneously on the south and the
Reserve Army on the north.
The Eighth Division are attacking on the right of the Guards
Division and the Fourteenth on the left. The Division is
attacking with the 2nd Guards Brigade on the right and the 1st
Guards Brigade on the left. The forming-up areas are shown on the
map issued to the C.O.’s. Tanks will be employed to co-operate
with the attack. Information regarding their employment is
forwarded separately.
2. The 3rd Guards Brigade will be in Divisional Reserve, and will
be formed up on the night of the 14/15th Sept. in and east of
Trônes Wood as follows:
4th Batt. Grenadier Guards, east of wood between railway and
Montauban――Guillemont road.
2nd Batt. Scots Guards, north of railway in S.24.C.
1st Batt. Grenadier Guards, about the trench running north and
south through the centre of the wood.
1st Batt. Welsh Guards and Machine-gun Company, less four guns,
along the edge of the wood.
Trench Mortar Battery in the vicinity of Copse S.24.C.50. A
separate order is issued regarding the move to these positions.
3. At zero hour plus 1 hour and 30 minutes the Brigade will
advance in the following order:
The 4th Batt. Grenadier Guards to T.19.b astride the
Guillemont――Ginchy road.
The 2nd Batt. Scots Guards to T.13.c.
These two Battalions will halt when leading troops reach S.W.
outskirts of Ginchy.
1st Batt. Grenadier Guards to the vicinity of Guillemont Station.
1st Batt. Welsh Guards to N.W. of 1st Batt. Grenadier Guards with
their left on Waterlot Farm.
Brigade H.Q. Company to S.24.a.
Brigade T.M. Battery will not move.
The Battalions will be formed up in depth.
4. (_a_) If the attack is completely successful, the rôle of the
Brigade will be to pass through the 1st and 2nd Guards Brigades
and support the cavalry beyond the fourth objective. The cavalry
will not enter villages.
(_b_) Should the attack be partially successful and the fourth
objective reached in the face of determined resistance, the
Brigade might be required to relieve the 1st and 2nd Guards
Brigades in the line of the fourth objective, and move into
position in reserve in T.8.c and T.7.d.
As soon as the situation permits, the O.C. 4th Batt. Grenadiers
and 2nd Batt. Scots Guards will send forward officers to
reconnoitre these reserve positions and lines of approach to
them. Reports from these officers will be at once forwarded to
Brigade Headquarters.
(_c_) Should the advance be held up, the Brigade might be ordered
to press home a fresh attack, passing through the 1st and 2nd
Brigades.
(_d_) If the attack on either flank be held up, the Brigade might
be required to secure the flank of the Division, probably by
offensive action.
(_e_) Detailed information regarding artillery support will form
part of the orders for any of these movements.
(_f_) The direction of the attack is N.E. Officers must know the
compass bearings to prominent points.
[The remainder of the orders referred to artillery and transport,
etc.]
E. C. WARNER, Captain,
Brigade-Major, 3rd Guards Brigade.
14/9/16.
[Sidenote: Sept. 14-15.]
On the 14th the 1st Battalion Grenadiers marched to Carnoy and then to
Trônes Wood, where it spent the night huddled together in shell-holes.
It was so bitterly cold that it was difficult to get any sleep, and
next morning every one was chilled to the bone. The ”wood” consisted
of trunks of trees blackened by shell-fire, the upper parts having
been shot away; they were quite leafless, and the splintered branches
lay all tangled over the shell craters. Amongst the wreckage were
shapeless bodies in khaki and grey; some almost skeletons, and others
with the skin stretched over the bones and tanned like leather. Flying
about among the bare trees were half-a-dozen magpies, the only
occupants of the wood. All was quiet, when suddenly our barrage began,
followed by the German one, and soon the noise was terrific.
With the rest of the 3rd Guards Brigade, the 1st Battalion Grenadiers
advanced to a position south-west of Ginchy in artillery formation,
and proceeded to strengthen the line of trenches there. The Brigade
was to support the attack of the other two brigades, or to counter any
hostile movements against the right flank of the Division, which was
in the air, as the Sixth Division had been held up by the
Quadrilateral. The 4th Battalion Grenadiers and 2nd Battalion Scots
Guards accordingly moved up to a position about half-a-mile north of
Ginchy, while the 1st Battalion Grenadiers and 1st Battalion Welsh
Guards took their places south-west of that village, and were employed
most of the day in supplying carrying parties for the other two
brigades.
Second Lieutenant L. G. E. Sim and 100 men of No. 3 Company did
particularly good work in carrying up ammunition and materials under
fire to the battalions in the front line of trenches.
Lieutenant Samuelson was sent forward that night by Lieut.-Colonel
Maitland to ascertain where the leading line had got to, so that he
might know exactly the position occupied by the 1st and 2nd Guards
Brigades. After stumbling about for three-quarters of an hour he
reached the trench indicated by the guides, but it was deserted except
for a few wounded. So he had to push on still farther, and eventually
found the front trench occupied by a mixed mass of men of the Guards
Division.
[Illustration: _Battle of the Somme, the evening of Sep. 15th, 1916._
_Emery Walker Ltd._]
[Sidenote: Sept. 16.]
He reported this to Lieut.-Colonel Maitland, who gave orders for the
King’s Company under Captain Drury-Lowe, and No. 4 Company under
Captain Fisher-Rowe, to advance through Ginchy. There were apparently
no guides, and after passing south of Ginchy these two companies
advanced towards the front line until they met Lieut.-Colonel
Murray-Threipland, who told them there were no unoccupied trenches in
front. They therefore returned to their original position, having
unluckily lost five N.C.O.’s, who were killed or wounded by a single
shell that pitched in their midst.
At 9 A.M. the order came for the 1st Battalion to move up so as to be
ready to attack with the rest of the 3rd Guards Brigade. Having joined
the other battalion, the 1st Battalion Grenadiers reached a position
just behind the starting-point at 11.15 A.M. The 3rd Guards Brigade,
with the 1st Battalion Grenadiers on the right, the 1st Battalion
Welsh Guards on the left, and the 4th Battalion Grenadiers in support,
was ordered to pass through the battalions in the front line and
attack the previous day’s third objective, or Blue line, but all the
Commanding Officers raised a protest against an advance unsupported in
any way by artillery fire, and General Corkran reported this back to
the Divisional Headquarters. The protest was overruled, and the attack
was ordered to begin at once. The 1st Battalion Grenadiers reached the
high ground west of Lesbœufs, but was met with heavy machine-gun fire,
opened on it from the church tower and other strong points. Second
Lieutenant Sim was killed, and Second Lieutenant Samuelson wounded, in
addition to some casualties among other ranks.
[Sidenote: Sept. 17-19.]
Orders were given to consolidate the position which had been reached,
and the 1st Battalion, having been relieved by the 59th Infantry
Brigade, returned to bivouacs in Carnoy. On the 18th Major A. F. A. N.
Thorne, D.S.O., left to take command of the 3rd Battalion, and
Lieutenant C. H. C. Healy and Lieutenant W. J. Dashwood joined.
[Sidenote: Sept. 19-24.]
On the 20th the 1st Battalion Grenadiers marched to the trenches west
of Lesbœufs and remained there till the next day, when it was relieved
by the 3rd Battalion Coldstream. Lieutenant Dashwood was wounded while
his Company was going into the front line. On the 24th the 1st
Battalion left Trônes Wood and marched to the assembly trenches in
preparation for the attack next day, for which Brigadier-General
Corkran issued the following orders:
3RD GUARDS BRIGADE
_Operation Order, No. 66_
1. The Fourth Army will renew the attack on the 25th Sept. in
combination with the attacks by the French in the south and the
Reserve Army in the north. The Guards Division will capture
Lesbœufs. The 1st Guards Brigade will attack on the right and the
3rd Guards Brigade on the left. The Fifth Division will attack
Morval on the right and the Twenty-first Division (62nd Brigade)
will attack Gueudecourt on the left of the Guards Division.
2. _Objectives._――The objectives, assembly trenches, and dividing
line between brigades and divisions are marked on attached map.
The first objective Green.
The second objective Brown.
The third objective Blue.
The 2nd Batt. Scots Guards and the 4th Batt. Grenadiers will
capture the first and second objectives, and will advance in two
waves on a front of two companies each. The 2nd Batt. Scots
Guards will attack on the right and the 4th Batt. Grenadiers on
the left.
The 1st Batt. Grenadiers will pass through the two leading
battalions and capture the third objective. The 1st Batt. Welsh
Guards, less two companies, will be held in Brigade Reserve in
T.8.a.
3. _The Assault._――The 2nd Batt. Scots Guards and 4th Batt.
Grenadiers will be formed up in X and Y trenches, and will
advance to the attack of the first objective at zero hour close
up to their barrage. There are two hostile lines to cross before
the objective is reached, the first being from T.2.b.97 to
T.8.b.3.10, and the second in the main German Brown line.
These two battalions will reorganise in the first objective and
advance to the attack of the second objective at zero + 1 hour.
The left of the 2nd Batt. Scots Guards will direct. The 1st Batt.
Grenadiers will be formed up in Z trench and will advance so as
to reach the first objective at zero hour + 1 hour. The Battalion
will advance to the attack of the third objective so as to reach
their barrage 200 yards beyond the second objective at zero + 2
hours.
Two companies of the 1st Batt. Welsh Guards will be formed up in
T.8.a, and will move into X line so as to be ready to occupy the
first objective as soon as the 1st Batt. Grenadiers leave that
line. In timing their advance to the X line these two companies
will seize opportunities offered by any slackening of the hostile
barrage.
4. _Consolidation._――The 4th Batt. Grenadiers and 2nd Batt. Scots
Guards will consolidate the second objective. At zero hour + 2
hours the 4th Grenadiers will push a unit forward by the sunken
road in N.33.b and d and consolidate a strong point at the
northern end, obtaining touch with the 62nd Infantry Brigade. The
Battalion will also consolidate a strong point on the left of the
second objective. The O.C. 2nd Batt. Scots Guards will detail one
company to push forward at zero hour + 2 hours on his right flank
and consolidate a strong point to protect the right rear of the
1st Batt. Grenadiers against attack from the south.
Two companies of the 1st Batt. Welsh Guards will consolidate the
first objective, making a strong point on the left flank of that
objective and at N.32.d.8.3, and maintaining touch with the 62nd
Infantry Brigade.
In the event of the Brigades on our right and left being held up,
defensive flanks will be formed. As soon as the situation
demands, half a battalion will be advanced to the sunken road in
R.34.a and d.
5. _Preliminary Movement._――Battalions will be moved up to the
assembly positions on the night of the 24/25th September. The 1st
Batt. Grenadiers will not move before 10 P.M.
Assaulting battalions will cut any wire in front of our trenches
on the night of the 24/25th September. Wire-cutters can be drawn
at Guillemont station if required. Units will report when they
have reached their assembly positions as detailed above on the
night of the 24/25th September; special relief of 1st Batt. Welsh
Guards will be arranged direct between O.C. 4th Batt. Grenadiers,
2nd Batt. Scots Guards, and 1st Batt. Welsh Guards.
[The remainder of the orders referred to artillery and transport.]
E. C. WARNER, Captain,
Brigade-Major, 3rd Guards Brigade.
The Z line referred to in these orders was a narrow trench about five
feet deep, a little way behind the British front line.
[Sidenote: Sept. 25.]
The first objective or Green line was the last German trench running
north and south, well in front of the villages. The second or Brown
line was a sunken road with dug-outs about 800 yards in rear of the
first, and the third or Blue line was another sunken road some 600
yards farther back still. Zero hour was fixed for 12.35 P.M.
The following officers took part in the attack on September 25:
Lieut.-Colonel M. E. Makgill-Crichton-Maitland Commanding Officer.
Capt. E. H. J. Duberly Adjutant.
Lieut. G. F. Pauling Bombing Officer.
Capt. W. D. Drury-Lowe, D.S.O. King’s Company.
Lieut. P. M. Spence ” ”
Capt. E. Sheppard, M.C. No. 2 Company.
Lieut. R. F. W. Echlin ” ”
Lieut. C. H. C. Healy ” ”
Lieut. C. T. Swift No. 3 Company.
Lieut. K. O’G. Harvard ” ”
Lieut. R. D. Lawford No. 4 Company.
Lieut. R. P. le P. Trench, M.C. ” ”
Lieut. N. A. C. Flower Sapping Platoon.
The other officers, and the Sergeant-Major, Drill-Sergeants, Company
Sergeant-Majors, and Company Quartermaster-Sergeants remained with the
Transport.
Exactly at 12.35 P.M. the assault began, and the 3rd Guards Brigade
advanced to the attack with the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards on the
right and the 4th Battalion Grenadiers on the left. The first and
second objectives were secured with comparatively little loss,
considering the strength of the German lines.
With mathematical precision the 1st Battalion started off, and
advanced in column of platoons in fours, so as to be close up when the
moment arrived for it to pass through the leading battalions at the
second objective. The order from right to left was――the King’s
Company, No. 2, No. 4, and No. 3. The German artillery at once
directed a barrage on them with considerable accuracy, causing a
number of casualties. Necessarily the advance was slow, but the
military precision with which every order was carried out under this
shell-fire was truly remarkable. It might have been a Wimbledon
field-day, judging by the cool way in which the non-commissioned
officers gave their orders, interposed with cautions such as “Steady
by the right,” etc. And all the while the shells were falling and
exploding hideously.
On arrival at the Green line the 1st Battalion had to wait for some
time, and spent it in digging itself farther in, pressing into the
service some remaining terrified Germans who had been found alive. The
men were all eager to get on, and fretted at being left so long in
this trench. At last the moment arrived for the Battalion to continue
the advance, and again it moved on in a line.
The first two objectives had been taken by the Battalions in front,
and the moment had arrived for the 1st Battalion Grenadiers, to which
had been entrusted the attack on the third objective and the capture
of Lesbœufs, to pass through the front line and continue the advance.
It was faced with the usual problem in such attacks――how to guard the
flanks of a successful attacking force when the neighbouring division
is held up. In this case it was the left flank which remained in the
air, and although the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards was forming a
protective flank, the 1st Battalion Grenadiers was subjected to a
cruel enfilade fire. Simultaneously on the right the leading battalion
of the 1st Guards Brigade was advancing towards the third objective.
The order in which the 1st Battalion attacked was now slightly
changed: the King’s Company under Captain Drury-Lowe was still on the
right, but No. 2 came under Captain Sheppard next, with No. 4 under
Lieutenant Lawford in support. No. 3 Company under Lieutenant Swift
was nearest to the enfilade fire, and found it necessary to swing to
the left, in order to face the machine-guns which were causing so many
casualties. Both Lieutenant Swift and Lieutenant Harvard, the only two
officers with this company, were wounded, in addition to Lieutenant
Flower, and the casualties among other ranks were very heavy.
With the forward progress of the Battalion the menace to the left
flank increased, and Captain Sheppard threw back his left flank to
protect the advance, but this naturally made it difficult for him to
keep pace with the King’s Company. No. 4 Company under Lieutenant
Lawford was therefore ordered to come up between the King’s and No. 2
Companies, and the advance continued in perfect lines, never
hesitating for a moment in the face of a terrific fire. Lieutenant
Healy was wounded, and Sergeant Brooks, who led No. 14 Platoon,
behaved with great coolness and gallantry, although all his men but
two were killed or wounded. He himself was not touched in the morning,
but later in the afternoon had his right hand and wrist blown off by a
shell. Sergeant Martin, who was in charge of a Lewis gun, had all his
team knocked out, but borrowed some men from No. 2 Company, and kept
his gun in action for the rest of the day. He was afterwards awarded
the D.C.M.
As the King’s Company advanced and took the third objective, its
Commander, Captain Drury-Lowe, was killed by a shell, while he was
consulting Captain Hargreaves of the Irish Guards. He had already
gained the D.S.O. in the artillery battery, in which he had fought all
through the first years of the war, and would no doubt have earned
further distinction had he lived, for he was a man without fear and a
worthy commander of the King’s Company. Lieutenant P. M. Spence took
command, and directly the Blue line had been secured, ordered the men
to dig themselves in, which they did, in a narrow and deep trench.
In order to protect the left flank. General Corkran sent up two
companies of the Welsh Guards to watch the left of the Division, and
as soon as these arrived No. 3 Company of the 1st Battalion Grenadiers
under Lieutenant Pauling, who had been sent up to take charge of this
Company, now without officers, was once more free to join the rest of
the Battalion. When it reached the front line it was ordered to form a
strong point 400 yards in front of the junction of No. 2 and No. 4
Companies. Strong patrols were sent out to deal with any of the
enemy’s snipers who might still be lurking about in front, and they
continued their search well into the night. One patrol under Sergeant
Carter did particularly well, and managed to secure a German map
showing all their dispositions. Application was made that evening to
the Guards Division Headquarters for the cavalry to come through, but
this was refused on reference to Lord Cavan, on the ground that the
situation on the flanks of the Division was still very uncertain.
[Sidenote: Sept. 26.]
On the 26th the Germans shelled Lesbœufs with their heavy guns, but
the trenches that had been dug were good and little harm was done. No
counter-attack was made by the enemy, and that night the 1st Battalion
Grenadiers was relieved by the 1st Battalion Scots Guards, and
returned to bivouacs at Carnoy.
The total casualties in the 1st Battalion during the consolidation of
Ginchy and the two attacks were: officers, killed 4, wounded 12, total
16; other ranks, killed 80, wounded 431, missing 84, total 595.
THE 4TH BATTALION
[Sidenote: 4th Batt.]
After a course of training with the other battalions of the 3rd Guards
Brigade, the 4th Battalion Grenadiers moved up in omnibuses to the
neighbourhood of Carnoy, where it was employed in repairing a road
running from Carnoy to Wedge Wood. When this work was finished, it
bivouacked in shelters near Talus Boise, about two and a half miles
west of Leuze Wood. On September 9 Captain Mitchell left to take up an
appointment at the Central Training School at Havre.
[Sidenote: Sept. 9.]
On the evening of the 9th the 4th Battalion was sent up to relieve the
47th Brigade, which had just attacked, while the Welsh Guards took the
place of the 48th Brigade. As the attack had succeeded in some places
and failed in others, the front line ran in an irregular pattern; in
some parts large dents had been knocked in the German line, but in
others we had made no progress at all. In the particular section of
the line which the 3rd Guards Brigade was to relieve, the 48th
Brigade, on the left, had secured all its objectives, but the 47th
Brigade, in the centre, had the misfortune to find itself opposite the
Quadrilateral. It could not be blamed for failing to advance, for the
Quadrilateral was one of the strongest points in the enemy’s line, and
contained eight machine-guns. Hence its losses were very heavy and it
was quite unable to make any headway. On the other hand, the 167th
Brigade on its right had been completely successful, and had gone well
forward. So at the close of this attack the left of the 167th Brigade
and the right of the 48th Brigade were in the air, with a space of 600
yards between the two still in the hands of the enemy.
About midnight the 4th Battalion made its way slowly towards Trônes
Wood, and took over the line occupied by what was left of the 47th
Brigade between Guillemont and Leuze Wood, with its left on the Wedge
Wood Road, 500 yards south of Ginchy. The Battalion advanced across
country under a light shell-fire, leaving Guillemont immediately on
its left, and heading direct for Ginchy. On reaching its destination
No. 1 Company got touch with the supports of the 167th Brigade on the
right; No. 2 came next, and No. 3 was on the left, while No. 4
remained in support with the Battalion Headquarters.
[Sidenote: Sept. 10.]
The relief was complete by 5 A.M., and patrols were sent out in the
thick morning mist to try and locate the enemy. In the trenches that
were taken over lay heaps of wounded and dying men, some of whom had
been there for five days. There was constant sniping by the enemy in
front, and patrols from both sides continually met in No Man’s Land
(which varied from 80 to 200 yards in width); often neither party knew
whether the others were friends or foes. It was difficult for officers
commanding companies to send in any clear report of the situation, as
whole trenches had been obliterated and the position on both flanks
was most obscure. Meanwhile the incessant sniping and shell-fire made
any movement almost impossible.
[Sidenote: Sept. 11.]
As will have been seen in the account of the 1st Battalion, General
Corkran tried to remedy this very unsatisfactory state of things by
sending up No. 3 Company from the 1st Battalion Grenadiers to support
the Welsh Guards, and No. 2 Company to the 4th Battalion Grenadiers.
It was reported at the time that the Quadrilateral was thinly held by
a small garrison, which was only waiting for a suitable opportunity to
surrender. Nothing further from the truth could well have been
imagined, as the 4th Battalion soon discovered. Orders had been sent
from Brigade Headquarters for the 4th Battalion to push up north and
get touch with the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, the impression being
that these two battalions were in line; but since the Welsh Guards
were 600 yards in front of the Grenadiers’ position, it was impossible
to carry out these instructions.
Lieut.-Colonel Lord Henry Seymour did his best, and ordered No. 3
Company under Captain Stewart to move off to the left, its place in
the line being taken by No. 4 under Captain E. Spencer-Churchill.
Captain Stewart eventually got touch with a company of the 2nd
Battalion Scots Guards, which had been sent up in support of the Welsh
Guards. Noticing this movement of troops, the enemy imagined that an
attack was in preparation, and sent up a succession of lights,
presumably to call for a barrage. In answer to these signals the
German artillery despatched a regular flow of 5·9 shells, and one
pitched in the trench occupied by the 4th Battalion Grenadiers; Second
Lieutenant R. F. C. Tompson and Sergeant Todd of No. 4 Company were
killed, and Captain C. G. Goschen of No. 1 Company was wounded very
slightly in the face. All that day the Welsh Guards in their advanced
position were very heavily attacked, but managed to retain their
trenches with the help of a company from the 1st Battalion Grenadiers.
[Sidenote: Sept. 12.]
An attempt was made at 1 o’clock next morning to secure the
Quadrilateral, and No. 2 Company from the 1st Battalion carried out a
bombing attack; this proved unsuccessful, and Captain Graham,
Lieutenant Corry, and a number of other ranks were killed. No. 4
Company from the 4th Battalion went up in support, but as it was found
impossible to advance beyond a certain point, its services were not
required. At 3 A.M. the 4th Battalion was relieved by a battalion of
the Suffolk Regiment, and No. 2 and No. 4 Companies were placed at the
disposal of the officer commanding the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards,
while No. 1 and No. 3 Companies retired to Bernafay Wood, which they
reached at 5.30 A.M. While No. 2 Company was moving up to support the
Welsh Guards, Lieutenant R. Y. T. Kendall was wounded, being shot
through the lungs.
In the course of the day efforts were made to connect the various
parts of the line, and the 1st Battalion Grenadiers and 2nd Battalion
Scots Guards were sent up by companies to strengthen the weaker
portions. By the evening the line, though not by any means straight,
had been joined together in one continuous trench. Even when No. 2 and
No. 4 Companies got to Trônes Wood they were still under very heavy
shell-fire. Captain Spencer-Churchill reported this by telephone to
the Brigade-Major, who inquired whether he wanted any retaliation.
“Very much,” replied Captain Spencer-Churchill, and instructions were
accordingly given. The effect was wonderful, and after a few minutes
the German artillery turned their attention to another part of the
line. Later on No. 3 Company was sent up and placed at the disposal of
the O.C. 1st Battalion Grenadiers. At 10 P.M. the 4th Battalion
Grenadiers was relieved by the 1st Battalion Scots Guards and marched
back to Happy Valley Camp, remaining there until the 14th.
During the evening of the 14th the Battalion moved to Carnoy, and
afterwards to a small copse east of Trônes Wood, where it stayed till
the following morning.
The officers of the 4th Battalion who took part in the attack of the
15th were:
Major (temp. Lieut.-Colonel) Lord
Henry Seymour, D.S.O. Commanding Officer.
Lieut. (temp. Captain) R. S. Lambert Adjutant.
2nd Lieut. R. A. Gault Sapping Platoon.
2nd Lieut. A. F. Newey No. 1 Company.
2nd Lieut. B. Burman ” ”
2nd Lieut. A. C. Flower ” ”
Lieut. (temp. Captain) C. R. Britten No. 2 Company.
2nd Lieut. G. H. T. Paton ” ”
2nd Lieut. C. G. Keith ” ”
Capt. W. A. L. Stewart No. 3 Company.
Lieut. R. Farquhar ” ”
Lieut. M. H. F. Payne-Gallwey ” ”
Capt. E. G. Spencer-Churchill No. 4 Company.
Lieut. L. Abel-Smith ” ”
2nd Lieut. J. W. F. Selby-Lowndes ” ”
Capt. N. Grellier, M.C., R.A.M.C. Medical Officer.
[Sidenote: Sept. 15.]
The attack started at 6.20 A.M., and the 1st and 2nd Guards Brigades
advanced with the 3rd Guards Brigade in reserve. After some waiting
news was brought down to the 3rd Brigade by the wounded that the first
objective had been secured, and about 9 A.M. the Brigade received
orders to move up to a position north of Ginchy, and be prepared to
support the attack or counter any hostile movement against the right
flank of the Division. Originally it had been intended that the 4th
Battalion Grenadiers should pass through the rows of massed
field-guns, but when the guns began an intense fire this was obviously
impossible, and orders were therefore issued for the Battalion to move
by platoons at 100 yards’ interval along the old railway. The advance
was made with the 4th Battalion Grenadiers on the right and the 2nd
Battalion Scots Guards on the left, and they reached trenches near
Ginchy in comparative safety, as the German barrage did not extend so
far back.
Second Lieutenant Keith from No. 2 Company and Second Lieutenant
Farquhar from No. 3 were sent on to locate and report on a position on
the other side of Ginchy, to which the Battalion was to move later. On
their return the two battalions moved forward, and passed over what
had been the first objective of the two leading brigades, where heaps
of dead Germans remained as evidence of the recent fighting. On
arrival at their destination 500 yards north of Ginchy, the two
battalions dug in in a defensive position, with a support line facing
half right. In the line was a stranded tank whose commander claimed to
have destroyed two of the enemy’s machine-guns. It was hopelessly
stuck, and, after the crew had spent most of the day vainly trying to
move it, was eventually used to provide excellent cover for a dug-out
which was constructed underneath it. At 5 P.M., by order of General
Feilding, the 4th Battalion Grenadiers was placed under the command of
the G.O.C. 1st Guards Brigade, and the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards
under the G.O.C. 2nd Guards Brigade. It was rather disappointing for
the 3rd Guards Brigade to be split up in this way instead of going in
as a brigade, but of course the situation in front was not known to
those who were in reserve.
At this moment No. 3 Company under Captain Stewart and No. 4 under
Captain Spencer-Churchill were sent forward through the German barrage
to protect the flanks of the 2nd Battalion Grenadiers in the 1st
Brigade. No. 4 Company moved up to an empty trench which it explored
as far as it went to the right, and there found a company of the
Durham Light Infantry, led by a most gallant officer, a captain, who
was killed soon afterwards by a German bomb. In order to expedite
matters, Captain Spencer-Churchill sent twenty to thirty men over the
top to co-operate with the party working down the trench, and the
Germans were soon driven back some distance. Meanwhile No. 3 Company
had gone to strengthen the left of the line held by the 2nd Battalion.
These two companies remained in their position during the night of the
15th, while No. 1 and No. 2 stayed near Ginchy with the Battalion
Headquarters.
[Sidenote: Sept. 16.]
Next morning Lieut.-Colonel Lord Henry Seymour was ordered to withdraw
one company from the line, and sent a message to Lieut.-Colonel de
Crespigny, asking him whether he would prefer to keep No. 4 Company on
his right or No. 3 on his left. He decided to keep No. 3, and Captain
Spencer-Churchill accordingly brought his Company back to
Headquarters. While moving back through the barrage with No. 4
Company, Lieutenant Abel-Smith was wounded in the arm, and there were
about seventy casualties among other ranks. Second Lieutenant R.
Gault, in charge of the sapping platoon, went up to help the 2nd
Battalion, and while putting out posts in front of the line was shot
through the head. Instructions were given for Corkran’s Brigade to
pass through the leading brigades and continue the attack on the third
objective, but owing to a protest having been referred back to the
Corps Commander, the actual attack did not start until 1.15. The 1st
Battalion Grenadiers and 1st Battalion Welsh Guards carried it out,
with Nos. 2 and 3 Companies from the 4th Battalion Grenadiers in
support. But this advance was soon held up by the enemy’s
machine-guns, and the battalions were told to dig in where they were.
No. 3 Company from the 4th Battalion took part in the operation, and
Sergeant Higgins particularly distinguished himself by clearing the
Germans out of a trench and killing several single-handed.
That night Corkran’s Brigade was relieved by the Twentieth Division
and returned to Carnoy. There it remained in bivouacs until the 20th,
when it returned to the line just north of Ginchy. On the 18th Second
Lieutenant H. C. S. Maine joined from the entrenching battalion, and
on the 19th Second Lieutenant A. R. Ellice and a draft of thirty men
arrived.
[Sidenote: Sept. 20.]
Going up to the trenches in front of Lesbœufs at 7 P.M. on the 20th to
dig communication and assembly trenches for the attack of the 25th,
the 4th Battalion had what seemed an interminable march, owing to the
congestion of the traffic and the bad state of the ground. The only
available road was one mass of transport, guns, etc., and so deep was
the mud in some places that it was difficult to cover more than
half-a-mile an hour. To make matters worse the guides who had been
supplied lost their way, and it was not till three o’clock next
morning that the relief was complete. The front-line trench was very
shallow, and not by any means bullet-proof, while the communication
trench called Gas Alley was filled with British and German corpses.
Captain Spencer-Churchill was ordered to go with his company to Gas
Alley and dig a trench connecting it with the one on the right, the
exact position of which was not known. He was told that the
shell-holes round the block in Gas Alley were strongly held by the
enemy’s snipers, and that he could call for artillery support if he
thought it advisable. He decided that it would be useless to send out
patrols at night, and determined to find the other trench himself.
This he accomplished by going a long way round by the sunken road, and
on reaching the block in the other trench he came across a small post
with a Lewis gun which had attracted a good deal of attention from the
Germans. Having located the other trench he returned to Gas Alley and
organised a bombing party, which Lieutenant J. F. J. Joicey-Cecil was
to lead.
[Sidenote: Sept. 22-24.]
Just as the attack was about to start next morning the Germans hurled
a succession of bombs at the trench, but they exploded some distance
off and no one was hurt. Then the Grenadier party broke down the block
and advanced, but discovered that the Germans had retired 100 yards
towards their main line, where another block had been made by filling
in the trench for 40 yards. Captain Spencer-Churchill followed on and
established a bombing post there. On returning to the sunken road, he
received orders to take over Gas Alley and the 80 yards of the trench
leading into it.
Being told by the guide that it was quite safe to go over the top, he
did so, with Sergeant Roberts and his runner, Private Woolridge, but
hardly had they emerged when they found themselves in full view of the
enemy, who fired at them from all directions. One bullet passed
through Captain Spencer-Churchill’s steel helmet, scratching his face
and knocking a piece of the helmet into his eye, while another grazed
Sergeant Roberts’s ear. It was obvious, therefore, that any attempt to
connect the two trenches would have to be made below the surface; as a
preliminary, two long sticks with an empty sand-bag on top were put up
in the farther trench, and proved to be easily visible from Gas Alley.
In the meantime Lieutenant the Hon. E. W. Tennant, who had been left
in Gas Alley, had occupied his time shooting at the enemy. Apparently
there was some movement by the Germans which led him to shoot with his
revolver, and a moment later he fell dead, shot through the head by
one of the enemy’s snipers. The men of No. 4 Company now set to work
to connect the two trenches, and managed to complete the work, though
in the gathering dusk they had at first some difficulty in hitting off
the exact spot.
That night the 4th Battalion was relieved by the 1st Battalion Welsh
Guards and retired to Bernafay Wood. Captain Spencer-Churchill’s eyes
were now giving him great trouble, and his sight became so much
affected that he had to be led by his orderly. At Bernafay Wood the
surgeon insisted on giving him a tetanus injection and sending him
down to hospital. The command of the Company therefore devolved on
Second Lieutenant D. O. Constable. During the next two nights the 4th
Battalion was again engaged in digging communication and assembly
trenches, and had some casualties. On the 24th the orders for next
day’s attack were issued, and at night the 4th Battalion took up its
position in the line.
The officers of the 4th Battalion who took part in the attack of the
25th were:
Major (temp. Lieut.-Colonel) Lord
Henry Seymour, D.S.O. Commanding Officer.
Lieut. (temp. Captain) R. S. Lambert Adjutant.
Capt. C. G. Goschen No. 1 Company.
Lieut. A. C. Flower ” ”
Lieut. A. R. Ellice ” ”
Lieut. (temp. Captain) C. R. Britten No. 2 Company.
2nd Lieut. C. G. Keith ” ”
2nd Lieut. H. C. S. Maine ” ”
Capt. W. A. L. Stewart No. 3 Company.
Lieut. R. Farquhar ” ”
Lieut. J. F. J. Joicey-Cecil ” ”
2nd Lieut. M. H. F. Payne-Gallwey ” ”
Lieut. D. O. Constable No. 4 Company.
2nd Lieut. J. W. F. Selby-Lowndes ” ”
Capt. N. Grellier, M.C., R.A.M.C. Medical Officer.
[Illustration: _Battle of the Somme, the night of Sep. 25. 1916._
_Emery Walker Ltd._]
[Sidenote: Sept. 25.]
The attack on the 25th, with the subsequent capture of Lesbœufs,
formed one of the most successful operations in which the Guards
Division was engaged in the war. The preparation seems to have been
complete, and every possible contingency foreseen. In the first attack
on the 15th the 4th Grenadiers had been in reserve, and so had not
seen so much of the fighting as the other battalions in the Division,
but it was now to take a leading part, and to go through some of the
toughest fighting of the whole battle of the Somme. Orders were given
for the attack to be carried out by Pereira’s Brigade on the right and
Corkran’s on the left, while Ponsonby’s Brigade remained in reserve.
In Corkran’s Brigade, the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards were to take the
right and the 4th Battalion Grenadiers the left.
When the 4th Grenadiers moved up on the night of the 24th, No. 4
Company under Second Lieutenant Constable on the right and No. 2
Company under Captain Britten were sent to the support trenches in
front of Ginchy, while No. 1 Company under Captain Goschen and No. 3
under Captain Stewart remained in Trônes Wood. On the left of the
Grenadiers was a battalion of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry,
but it was to start from a line quite 100 yards in front of the
assembly trench occupied by No. 2 Company, which made communication
difficult. Captain Britten, realising that it was essential to keep
touch with the battalion on the left, made his men deepen a shallow
communication trench which ran in that direction. For the last five
nights the 4th Grenadiers had been constantly employed in digging, and
had been obliged to get what sleep they could during the day――not at
all the same thing as a good night’s rest.
From 10 to 12 noon the artillery bombardment continued, and was
supplemented by the Stokes mortars in the support trenches. During
these preliminaries Second Lieutenant Maine was wounded in the foot,
and sent down to the dressing station. As zero time approached the men
fixed bayonets and remained motionless, waiting for the whistle which
was to be the signal to advance. The officers in each company had
carefully explained to the platoon and section commanders exactly what
was expected of them, and each non-commissioned officer therefore knew
as much as the captain.
At 12.35 P.M. the line advanced, preceded by a creeping barrage, which
moved 150 yards ahead at the rate of 50 yards per minute. In perfect
order, with not a man out of his place, the line swept on until it
came to the two intermediate lines, which the officers had been warned
to expect somewhere in front of the first objective. These had only
recently been discovered, and no one quite knew how strongly they were
held. Although the leading companies closed up as near as they could
to the creeping barrage, they were met by a terrific machine-gun and
rifle fire from the intermediate lines, and terrible gaps were made in
the ranks. But the companies pressed on, and made short work of the
Germans in these lines. Over 150 were killed there with the bayonet.
Re-forming again, the Grenadiers rushed the first objective, which, to
their surprise, offered comparatively little resistance. Our guns,
however, had dealt effectively with the first objective, and forced
the occupants into dug-outs, whereas the intermediate lines had only
been passed over by the creeping barrage. On the right the Scots
Guards met with little opposition, and easily secured their first
objective with no serious loss.
An hour later, at 1.35 P.M., the attack on the second objective
started, and the 4th Battalion Grenadiers moved forward, preceded as
before by a creeping barrage. Although there was some stiff fighting
at the end, the second objective was secured up to time. The brigade
on the left had been held up, and the usual difficulty arose of one
brigade pressing on while another was kept back. The right of the 4th
Battalion under Sergeant Pitt had managed without difficulty to keep
touch with the Scots Guards and had reached the second objective, but
on the left, which was in the air, Second Lieutenant Keith was unable
to advance while he had the Germans on the left in the same trench as
his Company. In fact, the situation on the left had resolved itself
into a bombing fight, and while the right got forward the left had
always to form a defensive flank.
At 2.35 P.M. the 1st Battalion Grenadiers passed through the leading
battalions and attacked the third objective; but, as the left flank
was still exposed, the result was the same――the right got well forward
while the left écheloned back and dug in. To fill the gaps the Welsh
Guards were sent up, and thus a continuous line, nearly 1400 yards
long, was made, protecting the left flank of the Division. That night
the position was as follows: the 1st Grenadiers on the right in the
third objective, facing east; the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards in the
centre, facing east and north-east; the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards and
4th Battalion Grenadiers on the left, facing north. The 1st Battalion
Grenadiers were in touch with the 1st Guards Brigade on the northern
outskirts of Lesbœufs, and although the enemy made counter-attacks in
several places, the situation remained unchanged during the night. In
spite of their heavy fighting, the men were in very good spirits and
made a hearty meal off the German rations which they found, ending up
with German cigars. Water was the difficulty at first, but parties
soon came up with this, as well as food and ammunition. The only
company officers now left with the Battalion were Lieutenant Farquhar,
Second Lieutenant Keith, and Second Lieutenant J. W. F. Selby-Lowndes,
and the untiring energy they displayed elicited the highest praise
from the Commanding Officer.
A tank made its appearance at 6 A.M., and slowly crawled along on the
left of the Division towards the Gird trench, where the brigade on the
left had been checked. This trench was very strongly held by the
enemy, but when the tank arrived and fired into it 300 Germans
surrendered, and the Durham Light Infantry moved up and took
possession of it. The Leicester Regiment continued the line to the
left towards Gueudecourt. At noon a large number of Germans were seen
to leave their trenches between Gueudecourt and Le Transloy and retire
across the open in great disorder, dropping their rifles and equipment
as they went. Frantic messages were sent back by telephone to our
artillery, which opened fire on them and inflicted heavy losses.
A squadron of our cavalry rode up towards Gueudecourt, and a cavalry
patrol from the 5th Lancers went towards Lesbœufs, but Lord Cavan
decided that the situation did not permit of cavalry going through,
and they retired. Between 8 A.M. and noon the enemy ceased shelling,
but between 12 noon and 2 P.M. a barrage was sent over by the enemy’s
artillery on our two front support lines. Subsequently this died down,
and the evening was comparatively quiet. Throughout the day the
companies in the front line suffered a good deal from small parties of
snipers concealed in shell-holes, but the patrols eventually cleared
the ground. At 10 P.M. the 4th Battalion was relieved by the 2nd
Guards Brigade, and went into bivouacs at Carnoy.
From the 18th to the 26th the casualties in the 4th Battalion were
445, exclusive of officers. Among the officers Captain C. G. Goschen,
Captain W. A. L. Stewart, Lieutenant the Hon. E. W. Tennant,
Lieutenant J. F. J. Joicey-Cecil, Second Lieutenant D. O. Constable,
Second Lieutenant M. H. F. Payne-Gallwey, and Second Lieutenant A. C.
Flower were killed, and Captain E. G. Spencer-Churchill, Captain C. R.
Britten, Second Lieutenant A. R. Ellice, and Lieutenant H. C. S. Maine
were wounded. Second Lieutenant A. R. Ellice died of wounds three days
later.
The King, on hearing the result of the attack on the 15th, sent the
following telegram:
_September 16._
GENERAL SIR DOUGLAS HAIG,
Commander-in-Chief, British Armies in France.
I congratulate you and my brave troops on the brilliant
success just achieved. I have never doubted that complete
victory will ultimately crown our efforts, and the splendid
results of the fighting yesterday confirmed this view.
GEORGE R.I.
To which the Commander-in-Chief sent the following reply:
_September 16._
HIS MAJESTY THE KING,
Windsor Castle.
I have communicated to the troops your Majesty’s gracious
and inspiriting message, for which all ranks respectfully
offer grateful thanks.
SIR DOUGLAS HAIG.
General Sir Douglas Haig also congratulated the Fourth Army in
the following terms:
O.A.D.151, _September 17_.
GENERAL SIR H. RAWLINSON,
Commanding Fourth Army.
The great successes won by the Fourth Army on the 15th are
most satisfactory, and have brought us another long step
forward towards the final victory. The further advance
yesterday after such severe fighting was also a fine
performance highly creditable to the troops and to Corps,
Divisional, and Brigade Staffs. Our new engine of war, the
Heavy Section Machine-gun Corps, acquitted itself splendidly
on its first trial, and has proved itself a very valuable
addition to the Army. My warmest congratulations to you and
the Fourth Army on a very fine achievement.
D. HAIG, GENERAL,
Commanding-in-Chief, British Armies in France.
The following letters passed between the Commanders-in-Chief of
the British and French Armies:
G.H.Q. OF FRENCH ARMIES,
_September 17, 1916_.
TO GENERAL SIR DOUGLAS HAIG.
MY DEAR GENERAL――I desire to convey to you my most sincere
congratulations on the brilliant successes gained by the
British troops under your command during the hard-fought
battles of the 15th and 16th of September. Following on the
continuous progress made by your Armies since the beginning
of the Somme offensive, these fresh successes are a sure
guarantee of final victory over our common enemy, whose
physical and moral forces are already severely shaken.
Permit me, my dear General, to take this opportunity of
saying that the combined offensive which we have carried on
now for more than two months has, if it were possible, drawn
still closer the ties which unite our two Armies――our
adversary will find therein proof of our firm determination
to combine our efforts until the end, to ensure the complete
triumph of our cause.
I bow before those of your soldiers by whose bravery these
successes have been achieved, but who have fallen before the
completion of our task; and I ask you to convey, in my name
and in the name of the whole French Army, to those who stand
ready for the fights still to come, a greeting of
comradeship and confidence.
(Signed) J. JOFFRE.
GENERAL HEADQUARTERS,
BRITISH ARMIES IN FRANCE,
_September 19, 1916_.
TO GENERAL JOFFRE.
MY DEAR GENERAL――I thank you most sincerely for the kind
message of congratulation and goodwill that you have
addressed to me and to the troops under my command on their
recent successes. This fresh expression of the good wishes
of yourself and of your gallant Army, without whose close
co-operation and support those successes could scarcely have
been achieved, will be very warmly appreciated by all ranks
of the British Armies.
I thank you, too, for your noble tribute to those who have
fallen. Our brave dead, whose blood has been shed together
on the soil of your great country, will prove a bond to
unite our two peoples long after the combined action of our
Armies has carried the common cause for which they have
fought to its ultimate triumph.
The unremitting efforts of our forces north and south of the
Somme, added to the glorious deeds of your Armies unaided at
Verdun, have already begun to break down the enemy’s powers
of resistance; while the energy of our troops and their
confidence in each other increases from day to day. Every
fresh success that attends our arms brings us nearer to the
final victory to which, like you, I look forward with
absolute confidence.――Yours very truly,
(Signed) D. HAIG, General,
Commanding-in-Chief, British Armies in France.
On the 26th Lieut.-General the Earl of Cavan sent the following
message to Major-General G. Feilding:
Please convey to the Guards Division my thanks and
admiration for the excellent manner in which they carried
out their attacks to-day.
A fortnight later General Sir H. Rawlinson conveyed his appreciation
of the part taken by the Guards Division in the battle in the
following message:
It is only since the reports have come in that it has become
clear that the gallantry and perseverance of the Guards
Division in the battles of the 15th and 25th September were
paramount factors in the success of the operations of the
Fourth Army on those days.
On the 15th September especially, the vigorous attacks of
the Guards, in circumstances of great difficulty, with both
flanks exposed to the enfilade fire of the enemy, reflects
the highest credit on all concerned, and I desire to tender
to every officer, N.C.O., and man my congratulations and
best thanks for their exemplary valour on that occasion.
Their success established the battle front of the Fourteenth
Corps well forward on the high ridge leading towards Morval
and Lesbœufs, and made the assault of these villages on the
25th a feasible operation.
On the 25th September, the attack of the hostile trenches in
front and north of Lesbœufs was conducted with equal
gallantry and determination. In this attack the Division
gained all the objectives allotted to them, and I offer to
all concerned my warmest thanks and gratitude for their fine
performance.
H. RAWLINSON,
General Commanding Fourth Army.