March 30th, 1918, dawned full of menace for the Allied line.
Early that morning the Canadian Cavalry Brigade received information
that the Germans had captured Mézières and were advancing on Amiens. The
brigade was ordered to cut across country and arrest the advance.
Already the Germans had occupied the Bois de Moreuil, the strategic
importance of which could hardly be over-estimated. From the wood they
could overlook the whole of the valley leading up to Amiens and to the
main railroad to Paris. The cavalry decided to attack.
Reaching the north-east edge of the wood, headquarters were established
in a small wood adjoining the large one. The smaller wood had not then
been occupied by the Germans, but they were sending bursts of rifle and
machine-gun fire at the cavalry from their cover and it was imperative
that the attack should not be postponed.
The Royal Canadian Dragoons, who were leading, sent an advance-guard
squadron, commanded by Captain Nordheimer, around the north-east corner
at a gallop. A second squadron, under Captain Newcomen, rode at the
south-east face, intending to get into touch with Nordheimer's squadron.
A third squadron, under Major Timmis, followed in support of Captain
Nordheimer.
Though raked by a heavy fire, Nordheimer's squadron charged into the
north-east corner of the wood, and came to grips with the enemy in a
hand-to-hand combat. Many of the enemy were killed, for they refused to
surrender; but at last a large party, of about three hundred, driven
from cover, retired from the wood south of the point at which the
cavalry had entered.
It was then that Lord Strathcona's Horse received the order to advance,
Lieutenant Flowerdew's squadron in support of Nordheimer, while the
remainder of the regiment moved, dismounted, against the southern front
of the wood.
The mounted squadron rounded the corner of the wood at a gallop, to cut
off the retreat of the enemy on the eastern side. They were nearly at
the destination when suddenly in front of them they saw, from the top of
a road in a cut bank, two lines of Germans facing them. There were about
sixty Germans in each line, and machine-guns were posted in the centre
and on the flanks of both, the rear line about two hundred yards behind
the first. Immediately the enemy saw the horsemen they opened fire.
Flowerdew quickly ordered a troop under Lieut. Harvey, V.C., to dismount
and carry out a special movement. With the remaining men he charged the
German lines.
From the enemy machine-guns came a concentrated stream of fire on the
rushing cavalry. There is little need to describe that charge. It was a
return to the days when battles were decided by the strength of men's
arms. It was the charge of the Light Brigade over again, on a smaller
scale--smaller in physical weight of onslaught and opposition, but equal
in spirit.
The Germans stood up boldly to the attack. They never expected that the
horsemen would penetrate into their midst. There was no question of
surrender, nor much time for it. Through the first line went the
squadron, across the intervening space and through the second line,
cutting down the enemy as they passed. Behind the second line they
wheeled and rode through again full tilt. Over seventy per cent. of the
attackers were casualties, but the fury of the charge was more than the
Germans could face. They broke and fled. Nor was this all, for the enemy
who were still fighting in the wood, hearing the clatter of hoofs behind
them, believed themselves surrounded and their resistance to our
dismounted troops weakened.
The survivors of Lieutenant Flowerdew's men established themselves in a
position in which they were joined later by Harvey and those of his
force who were left. Both leaders had been wounded, Flowerdew having
been shot through both thighs.
Only after the action was the full importance of the victory realized,
and of Flowerdew it is written in official language that "there can be
no doubt that this officer's great valour was the prime factor in the
capture of the position."