FRESNOY AND RIQUERVAL WOODS.
5th Oct., 1918. 11th Oct., 1918.
One night was all we spent in Etricourt, bitterly cold but quiet and
unmolested by the enemy. The following day, the 5th of September, was
bright and warm, so we at once set about improving our surroundings,
started to bring some of our stores from Magny La Fosse, and were just
beginning to think we might make the place fairly comfortable, when
orders came for another move. There was going to be another battle, and,
though we were not taking part, our area was wanted for a Support
Division, so we were to go back across the Canal, and take over some
shelters in the old front line trench on the Ridge. This sounded rather
cold, but at all events we were going backwards to that long expected
rest; not too soon, for at midday an observation balloon made its
appearance, and its section chose Etricourt for their home, with the
result of course of annoying the Boche to such an extent that he fired
some shells over the village. At 5-0 p.m. we fell in and marched by
Riquerval Bridge over the Canal and up to the Ridge, passing the
Brigadier on the main road by the Canal, and found the Brigade we were
to relieve, sitting very comfortably in their shelters and huts.
Unfortunately they had no intention of moving until the following
morning. It was now 6-30 p.m. and would soon be dark, so we were faced
with two alternatives--one to sit on the road, send for the Staff, and
wail loudly, the other to help ourselves.
The other two Battalions chose the former; we, being now very old
soldiers, chose the latter. An open patch of ground with some good large
shell holes was before us, we had a tool cart with us, and here and
there might be seen a sheet or two of corrugated iron. Long before it
was dark a thin curl of smoke coming out of the ground, a snatch of
song, or someone grousing in a loud voice, were the only indications
that there were four Companies of Infantry living there. The officers
were a little less fortunate; knowing that there were bell tents coming
on the limbers, they waited for them. At last they came, and very good
tents, too, but someone had forgotten to bring the poles. In spite of
this, we were soon all under cover, and in Headquarter Mess were
actually having a hot dinner when the Staff arrived and informed the
other two Battalions that they would now (in the dark) have to make the
best of whatever cover they could find.
The following morning our tent poles arrived, and, having planted the
red, white and black flag outside the C.O.'s, tent and mounted guard, we
felt quite respectable again. By the afternoon we had so far increased
in pride that the Drums not only blew "Retreat," but gave us an
excellent concert while the guards were changed. We expected every hour
or so to get orders to go back to some place of greater comfort for our
rest, but thought it best to take no risks, and, on the morning of the
7th, gave everybody a hot bath. Two wagon covers and a cooker on the
Canal worked wonders in this way. This day we lost two more
officers--2nd Lieut. Whetton went on leave, and Lieut. Steel had to go
to Hospital as the wound in his leg would not heal. "B" Company, being
little larger than an ordinary Platoon, Lieut. Hawley was transferred to
"D," and 2nd Lieut. Cosgrove commanded "B." Captain Banwell had 2nd
Lieut. Griffiths in "C" Company, and 2nd Lieuts. Edwards and Dennis were
still with "A." There were no other Company officers, as 2nd Lieut.
Argyle was kept at Headquarters for Intelligence work. Fortunately 2nd
Lieut. Todd still remained to look after the Transport, which throughout
the fighting had been excellent, and Capt. Nicholson, though suffering
from "flu," stuck nobly to his work and looked after our comfort at the
Stores.
Just after 10 o'clock on the 7th, orders came from Brigade for a move on
the following day--forward, not further back, and once more our hopes of
the promised rest were dashed. This time the attack was going to be made
by the other Divisions, and the 46th was to move at Zero to some
assembly areas round Magny La Fosse, and wait there in case the enemy
were sufficiently "broken" to allow of a general advance. Zero was five
minutes past five--a most uncomfortable hour for a move, especially as
breakfasts had to be eaten beforehand. Almost everybody was in bed
before orders came, but there were some who had no sleep that night: the
Orderly Room producing operation orders, the Quartermaster's department
(whose wagons arrived at 3-0 a.m.!), and the cooks getting breakfasts
ready, were the most unlucky, but so well did all ranks and all
departments do their work, that at 5-0 a.m. the Battalion fell in ready
to move. Packs had been stacked, ammunition and bombs distributed, most
important of all, we had had a good breakfast. There is no doubt that
our discipline and spirit were never better than during those strenuous
weeks.
Seldom has more bad language been heard than on that early morning march
down to the Canal again. It was half dark and there were Units
assembling and marching in every direction. Eventually, finding we
should be late at the starting point if we waited for the Regiment which
should have been ahead of us, we decided to go on at once, and set off
down the rough and slippery track to Riquerval Bridge. All went
moderately well until a "C" Company limber stuck. Before it could be
drawn clear, a Company of another Regiment marched up and round it,
entirely preventing our efforts to free it. Curses were loud on both
sides, but nothing could equal the flow of language that the two Company
Commanders flung at each other over the heads of their perspiring
Companies.
Eventually the limber was on the road again, and we reached the Bridge,
near which the Boche every few minutes dropped a shell. This fact,
coupled with a long line of Artillery horses going to "water," and the
Brigadier trying to get his Brigade across the Canal, produced an effect
which completely eclipsed the limber scene. However, as we crossed, the
Boche stopped shelling, daylight came and we found the road good, though
traffic made the rate of march very slow. The blaspheming consequently
subsided, and, finding a field track going in the right direction, we
continued our march at a fine pace until we reached our assembly
position--an open stretch of ground on the South side of the
Magny-Joncourt Road. Along this road were batteries of heavy guns,
standing almost wheel to wheel and firing rapidly, so, in view of
possible retaliation, the Companies were scattered over various little
groups of trenches in the neighbourhood. The cookers came up and we
prepared to make ourselves as comfortable as possible, while we once
more had the pleasure of watching the Cavalry waiting to be used, and
once more saw them go slowly back.
In the afternoon we moved into the next valley Eastwards, so as to be
nearer the "line" if wanted; there was also better and less scattered
accommodation. Gun pits, dug-outs and the inevitable grassy bank
provided all we wanted, and when, an hour later, some few gas shells
fell in the valley, we were all snugly under cover. All that is to say
except the cookers and with them Serjeant Thomson and his cooks; these
were in a shallow sunken road, and had a shell within a few yards of
them, fortunately doing no damage. Thinking it best to take all the rest
we could, we had the evening meal early, and long before it was dark
most of the Battalion were asleep. The Commanding-Officer himself
retired before 9-30 p.m., and was consequently fast asleep when, soon
after 10-0 p.m., a runner appeared with the usual "B.G.C. will see all
Commanding Officers at once." The rendezvous this time was Preselles,
some two miles away across country. It was a dark night, but with the
aid of a compass he found his way there all right and received orders
from General Rowley for an immediate move. The Brigade was to relieve a
Brigade of the 6th Division in the right British sector next the
French; the Battalion would relieve the West Yorks R. in the right
sub-sector. The following morning the Brigade would move forward into
Mericourt which was supposed to have been evacuated by the enemy; we
were to be "squeezed out" by the 5th Line. R. and French joining hands
across our front, and would come into support. Guides would meet us for
the relief at Preselles at midnight, October 8th/9th.
The Commanding Officer at once hurried back to the Battalion and
verbally issued relief orders while the Companies were falling in. In a
little more than half an hour all were ready to move, and Companies
marched independently to Preselles, where, under cover of the hill side,
the Battalion assembled soon after midnight. There were no guides, so,
after waiting some time in vain, the C.O. once more went to Brigade
Headquarters and asked for instructions. He was given a map
reference--supposed to be that of the Battalion Headquarters of the West
Yorks., and once more the Battalion moved off. In single file, with no
intervals between platoons for fear of losing touch, and a very
uncertain knowledge of the position of the enemy, we marched slowly
across country towards where we hoped to find Battalion Headquarters.
Reaching the famous sunken road of the battle of the 3rd, we halted
while a search was made; we had come to the place referred to on the
map, there was nothing there. Fortunately, just as we were wondering
what on earth to do, two W. Yorks. guides appeared, led us to their
Battalion Headquarters, and soon afterwards the Companies disappeared
Eastwards.
Battalion Headquarters was in a small cellar under an isolated house
just outside Sequehart on the Preselles Road. It was a most
extraordinary relief in many ways, and perhaps the most extraordinary
part was the scene in that Headquarters. There were four of us with the
M.O., five West Yorks., a French Interpreter, a Padre, and an
indescribable heap of runners and signallers, to say nothing of batmen,
in a cellar which might have held four people comfortably. On one of the
beds in the corner lay an officer. Noticing that he was not wearing W.
Yorks badges, we asked who he was. They did not know, he had been there
since they came in and had never moved; "perhaps he was gassed or dead,"
they remarked casually. This was typical of how we all felt, much too
tired to worry over other people's troubles. As it happened he was not
dead, and, though to this day we have never discovered who he was, he
eventually disappeared--going out to look for his own Regiment. For some
hours we sat in the most terrible atmosphere waiting for the relief to
be finished, and at last, just as dawn was breaking, as three Companies
had reported that they were in position, we agreed to take over the
line, and the W. Yorks. marched out--to take part in some other battle
further North. As soon as they had gone, the C.O., with a map in one
hand and a slice of bread and jam in the other, went up to look at our
front line and see whether the Boche had really left Mericourt.
The Battalion sector was astride the Sequehart-Mericourt Road which ran
due East along the valley South of Mannequin Ridge. Sequehart village
and the valley were both full of mist and gas which hung about in
patches, and made walking very unpleasant. There were many German dead
round the village and in the concrete emplacements of the Fonsomme
line, and the fighting in this part must have been heavy. Keeping to the
main road, the C.O. found "B" Company at a small cross-roads about one
mile East of Sequehart; "A" Company, according to the West Yorkshires,
should also have been here, but as this was the Company which had not
yet reported "relief complete," he was not surprised when he could not
find them. At the next cross-roads, half a mile short of Mericourt, were
"C" and "D" Companies on the right and left respectively of the road.
Small patrols had already been out towards the village and had not found
any enemy, and both Companies were now engaged in finding the Units on
their flanks. On the left a post of the Lincolnshires was soon found,
and on the right the French were only a few yards away. The liaison here
was perfect. After an exchange of courtesies by the Company Commanders,
the flank posts fraternized vigorously, and the Frenchmen, by producing
some "Jimmy Blink," cemented the Entente Cordiale. They were in great
spirits, and since dawn had been formed up with bayonets fixed, waiting
to make an attack; "Zero" hour had not been told them, but that did not
worry them in the least. To improve the co-operation between us, the
French sent a platoon under a Subaltern officer to work with us.
By 6-30 a.m. the mist had lifted enough for us to see Mericourt village
plainly, and a strong patrol under 2nd Lieut. Griffiths was sent out to
reconnoitre it. They met with no opposition. A few minutes later, a
mounted Officer of the Staffordshires, without stopping at our front
line to ask about the situation, rode into the village. We were all much
too interested in watching to see what became of him, to think of
warning him that the Boche might still be there. Soon afterwards, as
there was still no sign of the enemy, "C" Company moved into and
occupied the East side of the village, and "B" and "D" Companies moved
on to the West edge. Messages were sent back to tell Brigade that we
held Mericourt, and to bring the Headquarters up there--at present they
were about three miles back. From "C" Company's position on the high
ground East of the village we looked across a large valley, at the North
end of which could be seen Fresnoy le Grand; along the bottom ran the
main Fresnoy-St. Quentin Railway, and on the other side a collection of
small copses was marked on the map as Bois D'Etaves. Nowhere was there
the slightest sign of the enemy. In view of the fact that we were
particularly ordered to be in Support if an advance was made, the C.O.
would not push on further without orders from the Brigadier. Meanwhile,
he went off to look for the missing "A" Company, leaving the three
Companies, "B," "C" and "D," holding the village and watching the
valley.
At 7-30 the leading platoon of the 5th Linc. Regt. came up on our left,
and about an hour later the French started their advance, and, passing
Mericourt on the South side, deployed down the slopes towards the
Railway line.
As soon as General Rowley heard that Mericourt was in our hands, he rode
up to the village and reconnoitred the valley and Fresnoy himself from
"C" Company's high ground. Seeing that the French were meeting nothing
more than machine gun fire, and were apparently making good progress, he
ordered Captain Banwell to move at once into Fresnoy; there was no one
else available at the moment, so we ceased to be in Support. The main
road had been blown up in two places, but there were no other obstacles,
and the Company reached the town without difficulty. The machine gun
fire had been very heavy from the Bois D'Etaves on their right and from
the Railway embankment, but they had had no casualties, and passed
rapidly along the streets, finding no enemy, but meeting to their
surprise several civilians, who, over-joyed at their "deliverance,"
were doing all they could with cups of coffee to welcome their rescuers.
For four years these unhappy people had lived under the heel of the
German, and the rotting carcases of six-months' dead horses which
littered the street showed what life they had lived during that time.
They had been taught to hate the English, whom they only knew as
night-bombers, and yet, when the Boche was being hunted out and offered
to take all civilians back to safety in motor lorries, 300 men, women
and children, headed by the Deputy Mayor, heroically refused to leave
their town, preferring, as they said, to risk the bombardment and the
"brutal English" than to remain one day longer in slavery.
At 9-0 o'clock, other Units made their appearance in Fresnoy, and the
5th Lincolnshires, with two Company Headquarters in the Quarry just
outside the S.W. corner of the town, pushed some platoons through
towards the Eastern edge--on the right of our "C" Company. Capt. Nichols
of this Battalion had his Company round the large house used by the
Germans as a Hospital, but, except for this, no one seemed inclined to
push forward in any strength. At 11-0 a.m. the Brigadier moved his
Headquarters into Mericourt, and the Boche, presumably thinking the
village was now as full as it was likely to be during the day, shelled
it vigorously with gas and High Explosive. He paid particular attention
to our ridge of observation, and, having pounded us off this, proceeded
to hammer the other end of the village, whither we had moved for greater
comfort. At the same time several salvoes were fired into Fresnoy. Soon
afterwards a message from Captain Banwell told us that, with the
exception of the Railway and Station, the whole town was in our hands.
He had tried hard to reach the Railway Embankment from his side of the
town, but the machine gun fire was very hot, the ground absolutely open,
and after losing Gosden, a Lewis Gunner, killed, and one or two men
wounded, had decided to wait for some Artillery. Meanwhile, the French
had reached the Railway further South, so the C.O. sent Lieut. Hawley
with half "D" Company to try and take the Station from this side. He
moved off to do so at midday, leaving C.S.M. Cooper to command the other
half Company. "A" Company (Edwards) now arrived, and, with "B" Company
(Cosgrove), dug themselves into a bank on the South side of Mericourt
village.
Lieut. Hawley and his party made their way rapidly down to the Quarry,
and keeping just inside the Southern outskirts of the town, soon found
the French left flank, from which they were able to reconnoitre the
Railway Station. This last seemed to be the only place where the enemy
was still offering any resistance, and there were apparently three
machine guns somewhere near the Base of a large factory chimney in the
Station yard. Lieut. Hawley divided his party into two, and while he
himself gradually worked his way direct, the other party under Serjt.
Marston, M.M., armed with as many bombs as they could carry, rapidly
made their way round towards the enemy's rear. The Boche apparently
thought he would soon be turned out, and some twenty of them, hurried
along by one of our Lewis Guns, managed to escape before we arrived.
However, they did not all get away, and when Serjt Marston lobbed his
bombs on to them from behind and the others came up in front, they found
five Germans still sitting there with their gun. These were promptly
captured and sent down, and the town was now entirely in our hands.
Between 5-0 and 6-0 p.m. we received orders that the 5th Lincolnshires
would take over the whole of the Railway, and that we were to come back
into Mericourt and rest as much as possible. At the same time the enemy
started to bombard Fresnoy with every available gun and howitzer. For an
hour gas and high explosive shells fell in every corner of the town and
its immediate surroundings. Capt. Banwell, who was returning to his
Company from Headquarters, and the C.O., who was trying to find "D"
Company, both had a very unpleasant time. One runner with the orders for
the relief did manage to reach "D" Company without being hit, and soon
after 8-30 p.m. they moved out from Fresnoy and dug into a bank just
outside Mericourt. "C" Company, however, no one was able to find; it was
a dark night and consequently very difficult to keep one's direction
amongst the little streets and sunken lanes in the Northern end of the
town, where they had taken up their position. The C.O. himself spent a
large part of the night looking for them without success, but one of
the messages, which he left at every post and Headquarters he called at,
eventually found its way to Capt. Banwell, and between midnight and 1
a.m. on the 10th "C" Company at last came out and occupied a bank near
"D" Company. Most of us had not had any sleep since we left our
"shell-holes" Camp at dawn on the 8th--some of us none since the 7th,
and when we finally lay down, tired out, we slept far into the next day.
Soon after midday on the 10th Major R.S. Dyer Bennet reported for duty
and took over command of the Battalion, Capt. Hills resumed his former
duties of Adjutant, and for the next few weeks we had no Second in
Command. At the same time orders came that the Brigade would continue
its advance on the "leap-frog" principle. Each Battalion would be given
a definite objective for the whole of the Brigade frontage, the rear
Battalion passing on to the next line as soon as each objective was
gained. We were now rear Battalion, and moved after dinners to the
Railway Cutting just outside Fresnoy on the Bohain line, where, while we
waited for further orders, we had teas and distributed rations for the
following day. The Lewis Gun limbers and cookers were now allotted to
Companies, and the remainder of the 1st Line Transport occupied a field
close to us. 2nd Lieut. Dunlop, D.C.M., and 2nd Lieut. Taylor returned
from leave and went to "D" and "C" Companies respectively. Lieut.
Ashdowne again became Intelligence Officer and 2nd Lieut. Argyle
returned to "B" Company. Each Company had now two officers and "C"
Company had three. Soon after six o'clock we had orders to move at dusk
to the line of the Aisonville-Bohain road, now held by the 4th
Battalion, and push forward from there to the edge of the Bois de
Riquerval. At the same time a patrol of Corps Cyclists was being sent
along the main road towards Regnicourt, and if they reported that the
enemy had evacuated this village, our orders were to advance during the
night to a line running Southwards from there, through the Bois, to gain
touch with the French at Retheuil Farm. At a Company Commanders'
Conference, held as soon as these orders were received, Major Dyer
Bennet decided that if Regnicourt was clear of the enemy, "C" and "D"
Companies should advance up the main road as far as the village, and, on
reaching it, turn Southwards into the Bois, spreading out along the line
of our objective. "A" Company, keeping touch with the French, were to
advance up the "ride" on the Southern boundary of the Brigade, while "B"
Company, followed by Headquarters, would go straight through the wood in
the centre. We would all form up in the present positions of the 4th
Leicestershire and start our advance without a barrage at 2-0 a.m.--the
11th of October.
[Illustration: Lieut. J.C. Barrett, V.C.
_Photo by Swaine._]
As soon as it was dark we moved off with our Lewis Gun limbers and
medical cart, keeping as far as possible to cross-country tracks and
avoiding all main roads. There was some gas hanging round the Bois
D'Etaves, but we were not worried by this, and soon reached the
Seboncourt-Bohain Road, held by the 5th Lincolnshires. From here onwards
the route was not so easy to find, but we managed to take our limbers to
within a few hundred yards of the 4th Battalion Headquarters and here,
after distributing Lewis Guns and Ammunition to Platoons, the Companies
were met by guides and moved forward to their assembly positions.
Meanwhile Battalion Headquarters moved into the farm house already
occupied by the 4th Battalion. In the cellar we found, in addition to
the usual Headquarter Officers, a French Interpreter, and part of a
French Liaison platoon, no air, very little light, but plenty of tobacco
smoke. Soon after we arrived a message from Brigade told us that the
Cyclists had met with no enemy as far as Regnicourt, but had found a
patrol of about twenty in that village and had been fired on by them. We
were discussing this, when suddenly there was a scuffling overhead and
we were told that there was "something ticking somewhere," and that
everyone had left the house. The cellar occupants were not slow to
follow, and thinking of time-bombs and infernal machines managed to
empty the cellar in a record time. We settled down uncomfortably under a
hedge, and prepared to read and write orders with a concealed electric
torch--the maximum of discomfort. However, we did not have to stay there
long, as a runner came to tell us that the origin of the "ticking" had
now been discovered, and, as it was nothing more formidable than the
recently wound up dining room clock, we returned to the cellar. Major
Dyer Bennet, arguing that, if the Cyclists could get as far as
Regnicourt, we should reach our objective without difficulty, decided
that the attack should be carried out as arranged, and, sending the
Adjutant to find the 6th Division, moved up himself to the Aisonville
Road, leaving only the Aid Post and some Signallers and servants at the
Farm.
[Illustration: The Cadre at Loughborough, June, 1919.]
The Aisonville Road ran almost due N. and South along a valley; between
it and the edge of the Bois de Riquerval was open ground for about 300
yards sloping gently up to the wood. A small cottage marked the start
of "A" Company's "ride," and the stretch of road immediately N. of this
was deeply sunken. Here "A" Company formed up and tried to find the
French who were considerably further South than we expected.
Incidentally they were not as far forward as we were, and the Boche
enfiladed the road about midnight with a whizz-bang battery from the
South. "B" Company formed up in an isolated copse about 100 yards East
of the road into which the 4th Battalion had made their way during the
afternoon. The left half Battalion remained along the road bank and in a
dry ditch 50 yards W. of it, near to the junction with the Regnicourt
Road up which they were to advance. There was one solitary house,
protected by the hillside, which provided Company Headquarters with a
certain amount of cover. The night was dark and the enemy, except for
the whizz-bangs on "A" Company, very quiet.
Soon after midnight the Adjutant returned from the 6th Division. He had
found that the 1st Leicestershires were on their right flank, and that
they were going to continue their advance at 5-15 a.m. on the 11th.
Major Dyer Bennet therefore decided to postpone our attack until that
hour, so that we might all go forward together. In any case it seemed
likely that this would be a better plan, as it would be daylight soon
after the advance started; and, on so wide a frontage, it would have
been almost impossible to maintain direction in the woods by night,
especially without a moon. At 5 o'clock we were all formed up along the
road, Battalion Headquarters close to "A" Company, and at 5-15 a.m. in
absolute silence and without a barrage we started to climb the rise
towards the edge of the wood.
The left half Battalion along the Regnicourt Road made most progress
without meeting any opposition. "D" Company leading, they advanced by
platoons on both sides of the road, keeping touch with the 1st Battalion
on their left, and had gone nearly a mile before they were checked by
machine-gun fire ahead of them. Half-way from their starting point to
Regnicourt stood a little group of houses at the top of a small hill,
and from here, as well as from the thick scrub and undergrowth which
covered the country on both sides, the enemy's machine gunners had a
good target. Thinking that this was probably some small post left behind
by the Boche as he retired, and knowing that the cyclists had been
through the previous night, Lieut. Hawley decided to attack at once, and
"D" Company, making use of all the cover they could find, worked their
way up the hill and soon captured the house. One German came out into
the road with his machine gun and started to fire at them point blank,
but the leading Platoon got their Lewis Gun into action, and, knocking
out the Boche, captured the gun. The two leading Platoons of "D" Company
had deployed, and, with 2nd Lieut. Dunlop on the left of the road and
the others on the right, tried to continue their advance. Seen from
below, the group of houses had seemed to be on the top of the hill, but
beyond them the road, after a slight dip, rose again to a ridge 300
yards further East, and here the enemy were in considerable force.
Several gallant attempts to advance were frustrated by very heavy
machine gun fire, and having lost Serjts. Bradshaw and Dimmocks killed,
and several others wounded, the Company was compelled to remain lying
flat just beyond the houses. One little party had taken cover in the
ditch along the roadside and were seen by the German machine gunner. The
ditch became a death trap. Hodges and Longden, the runners, and Maw, the
Signaller, were killed, and Hall, another runner, badly wounded; Serjt.
Foster and L/Cpl. Osborne, both of whom had done particularly good work,
were wounded, and the casualties were very heavy indeed. In half-an-hour
this Company lost 10 killed 14 wounded and one prisoner. It was obvious
that the Cyclists had never been further than these houses, which they
must have mistaken for Regnicourt, and their report was consequently
worthless.
Capt. Banwell now arrived with two platoons of "C" Company, and thinking
it possible that the Companies on the right might not have got as far
even as "D" Company, decided to protect the right flank from any
possible counter-attack. He sent off Serjt. Tunks and No. 11 Platoon to
prolong "D" Company's line to the right; they did this and managed to
advance a few yards further before being compelled to dig in and keep
very flat by the enemy's machine guns. A few minutes later 2nd Lieut.
Griffiths followed with his platoon, to work Southwards into the woods
to try and find the centre Company, or at least discover how they were
situated. They managed to advance about 400 yards before they too met
with fierce opposition, and had three men cut off and captured by a
strong party of Boche concealed in the undergrowth. Eventually, unable
to find any trace of "B" Company, 2nd Lieut. Griffiths decided to "dig
in" where he was, and by doing so extended "C" Company's line still
further to the right, bending back slightly to protect the flank. At 8-0
a.m. the 1st Battalion on the left had reached the same line and were
similarly held up. Capt. Banwell therefore reported to Headquarters that
further advance without artillery support was impossible, and that "C"
and "D" Companies were holding a line running Southwards for 400 yards
from the group of houses, into the Bois de Riquerval, and would wait
there for instructions.
Meanwhile the centre and right had fared even worse. In the centre "B"
Company, formed up originally in an isolated copse, moved forward at
5-15 a.m. in two parties towards the main part of the wood. The left
hand party under 2nd Lieut. Argyle had plenty of cover for the first
half-mile and pushed on rapidly, until, coming over a small crest into
the open, they too met with heavy machine-gun fire. After several
ineffectual efforts to advance, they dug themselves in and remained
there for the rest of the day, replying to the Boche fire with their
Lewis Guns, but with no visible effect. (It was afterwards discovered
that this party were less than 100 yards behind 2nd Lieut. Griffiths'
platoon, unable to see each other owing to a "fold" in the ground.) The
other half Company under 2nd Lieut. Cosgrove started their advance
across an absolutely open patch of ground, sloping gently downwards
towards the centre of the woods. They had gone a few yards when the
daylight showed their position to the Boche, and for the next half-hour
they suffered heavily. Lying on the forward slope, with no cover, they
saw 50 yards away on their right two small but deep trenches. One man
tried to run there and was hit a few yards from them; another had better
luck and got there safely, through a perfect stream of bullets from
three guns. 2nd Lieut. Cosgrove himself was badly wounded and had to be
carried out, so also was Serjt. Muggleston. The others, some crawling
and some running, gradually collected in the two trenches and remained
there for the rest of the day.
On the extreme right "A" Company (Edwards) made no headway at all.
Between the road and the edge of the wood was about 150 yards of open
ground, across which ran a Z-shaped hedge, while, at the point where the
"ride" entered the wood, stood a Chateau and a large black hut
commanding all the country round. Daylight came soon after they left the
road and with it a burst of heavy machine-gun fire from the Chateau at
close range, which split the Company into three parts. Headquarters and
one platoon found some cover round the little house on the corner where
they started; near them in a bank was 2nd Lieut. Dennis with his
platoon, while the remainder, under Cpls. Thompson and Shilton, were in
the Z-shaped hedge, unable to show themselves without being fired at. On
their right the French had captured Retheuil and Forte Farms.
At 5-20 a.m., Major Dyer Bennet, finding it impossible to see anything
of "A" and "B" Companies, decided to advance his Headquarters, keeping
as far as possible to the centre of the Brigade frontage. Accompanied by
the Adjutant, R.S.M., a few runners, and the French Interpreter, he set
off for the edge of the wood, which was reached without loss; but the
enemy's machine guns at the Chateau, 200 yards away on the right, and
slightly below us, plainly told us that "A" Company had not gone
forward. A similar distance away on the left, concealed by a wall and
the corner of the wood, another gun was firing across at "B" Company,
who could be seen on the opposite hillside trying to reach the cover of
their two trenches. The Headquarter party was too small to be able to
help, so while the Adjutant went back to try and find some
reinforcements, the Interpreter, Henri Letu, made a most gallant
reconnaissance into the woods to see if he could gather any information.
The "reinforcements" consisted of a platoon of French soldiers, a Lewis
Gun team of the 4th Battalion and two signallers. At the same time the
M.O. and Intelligence Officer (Lieut. Ashdowne) arrived, and the latter,
taking two men with him, soon drove out the enemy from the "corner wall"
post on the left. The Battalion Headquarter flag was hung out in a
conspicuous tree, signal communication was opened with the original
Headquarter Farmhouse, and at about 8 o'clock the party was still
further reinforced by the arrival of Cpl. Thompson and No. 1 Platoon of
"A" Company, whom the Adjutant had discovered under the "Z" shaped
hedge. All these movements had to be carried out with great care, as any
visible activity at once drew fire from the Chateau.
This Chateau Major Dyer Bennet now decided to attack, and soon after 9.0
a.m. a party consisting of No. 1 Platoon and some Frenchmen set off
under the Adjutant to do so. Cpl. Shilton and a few men were sent
through some gardens to engage the enemy on their right flank; the Lewis
gun, under Cpl. Thompson, went through the woods to try and attack the
buildings from the rear; the Frenchmen advancing still further into the
woods, protected the left flank. Cpl. Thompson's party were soon
engaged. They had pushed forward rapidly for about 50 yards when
suddenly Pte. Underwood, who was leading, jumped behind a tree and
fired. Nine Boches seemed to come out of the ground almost at our feet,
and for a few minutes there was some lively fighting around the trees.
The Germans managed to kill Pte. Blythe, a very old soldier of the
Battalion, and then made off, leaving one wounded man behind them. This
little fight had given the alarm to the party in the Chateau, and though
Cpl. Thompson pushed forward with great courage it was too late to catch
them, and we entered the house and grounds without further opposition.
The fall of the Chateau enabled the remainder of "A" Company to advance
and occupy the edge of the wood, which they at once did, putting out
several posts round the buildings. The Adjutant's party then returned to
Battalion Headquarters which had been left very weak during the attack.
Soon afterwards, as the situation now seemed fairly satisfactory the
wounded prisoner was sent down under the 4th Leic. Lewis Gun Section,
who were no longer required.
At 10-0 a.m. we were just considering the possibility of pushing forward
still further when a sudden burst of machine gun fire, sweeping low over
our positions, drove us to cover. The French had apparently been
counter-attacked out of Retheuil and Forte Farms and the Boche from
these new positions overlooked us completely. Under cover of this fire a
strong hostile counter-attack was launched against the Chateau, and "A"
Company were once more driven back to the road, leaving several men
prisoners behind them. But the road too was now overlooked and, though
sunken, was no protection, so that, unable to stay in it, they moved to
a small bank on the W. side of it and dug in there. 2nd Lieut. Edwards
was wounded and sent down, and the Company was commanded by 2nd Lieut.
Dennis. At Headquarters, L/Cpl. Exton, who had just arrived with a
message from "B" Company, was killed and a stretcher-bearer badly
wounded. Capt. Jack, the M.O. went off to tend the latter, and was
himself badly hit in the body; another stretcher-bearer was hit trying
to get to him, and for a short time he had to be left. A few minutes
later the enemy's fire slackened; the M.O. was carried away, and, though
he lived to reach the Ambulance, died there in the evening. Captain Jack
had been with us just a year, and we felt very keenly the loss of his
cheerful presence at Battalion Headquarters, for he was one of those men
who were never depressed, and even in the worst of places and at the
worst of times used to keep us happy.
The Adjutant now went back again to the old Farm House to see if he
could find out what had happened to the other two Companies. The 4th
Leicestershires had been relieved, and the 5th South Staffordshires had
taken over the Farm and were now preparing to relieve us in the line if
possible. Captain Salter was there from Brigade Headquarters and
undertook to send relief orders to the Left half Battalion, whose
position was now known.
Meanwhile the South Staffordshires moved up to the copse whence "B"
Company had started, and a Company occupied the line along the bottom of
the "Z" hedge to the "wall and corner" position--i.e., about 200 yards
behind the line held by Battalion Headquarters and "A" Company. The
relief of the Left half Battalion, though difficult, was carried out in
daylight, and was complete by 11-30 a.m., largely owing to the energy of
the Staffordshire Company Commanders. Crossing the crest by the group of
houses was by no means an easy matter, and both relievers and relieved
had to crawl through the scrub, in which 2nd Lieut. F.G. Taylor of "C"
Company did particularly good work, while for "D" Company C.S.M. Cooper
worked magnificently. Three Platoon Serjeants had become casualties and
this Warrant Officer did all their work himself, rendering invaluable
assistance to his Company Commander.
The relief of Battalion Headquarters and the Right half Battalion was
impossible during daylight, and the G.O.C. 137th Infantry Brigade took
over the command of the line as soon as our "C" and "D" Companies were
relieved, while the rest of our Brigade moved back into billets at
Fresnoy le Grand; we were to follow when relieved. Meanwhile,
arrangements were being made for some Artillery and Tank support, and it
was proposed to try a further advance during the afternoon. At the same
time the Chateau was recaptured from us, the position on the edge of the
wood had become so badly enfiladed that the Headquarters moved out and
started to dig a new line in the open, where, as the Staffordshires were
holding the "wall and corner" position, we were fairly safe. About
mid-day, however, as the enemy had become quieter, we returned once more
to the edge of the wood. It was never very comfortable in this isolated
position, but Lieut. Ashdowne and R.S.M. Lovett showed the most
wonderful coolness, and were continually out looking for new positions
or watching the flanks. At 2-0 p.m. the Staffordshires received orders
that they would have the help of two Tanks for their attack, which would
start at 4-0 p.m. from the isolated copse. At about 3-0 p.m. the enemy
again started to enfilade our wood position so badly, that for the last
time we decided to leave it and came back to our line in the open, which
we deepened as quickly as possible; it was hard work as the men had to
dig with their entrenching tools as they lay flat. We had not, however,
been long in this position before the Staffordshires behind us withdrew
to form up for the attack, and, though the party at the "Z" hedge
remained, the other party left the "wall and corner" unprotected.
Meanwhile, thinking that, if not relieved soon, we should be surrounded
from the right flank, Major Dyer Bennet went back to reconnoitre some
deep short lengths of trenches about 100 yards in rear, deciding that if
the attack did not prove successful he would bring Battalion
Headquarters back into them.
At 4-0 p.m. there was no sign of the attack. Instead, a German machine
gun crew returned to the now empty "wall and corner" position and
started to enfilade our left flank, making the hill side almost
uncrossable. The C.O. decided to withdraw at once, and at 4-30 p.m. the
runner, Blindley, set off with the message. It was a hazardous journey,
but he succeeded in crawling to within a few yards of the end man and
passed a message along. Steadied by the R.S.M., the party started one by
one to withdraw, while the enemy kept up a heavy fire at them. For a
moment it looked as though it would be impossible to get back, but Pte.
Caunter--Lewis Gunner of No. 1 Platoon--calmly mounted his gun and
"traversed" the whole edge of the wood. The Boche were silenced for the
moment, and the party, making a rush at the same time, managed to reach
the trenches in safety. Last of all Caunter calmly picked up his gun and
came away himself, fired at, but never hit. Half-an-hour later two
tanks appeared, and keeping on the West side of the Aisonville Road,
climbed the rise towards Retheuil Farm. Whether the enemy imagined a
general attack was coming, or merely wanted to make the road dangerous,
is not known, but at 5-0 p.m. he started to bombard the area at the foot
of the "Z" shaped hedge, where a Company of Staffordshires, our
Battalion Headquarters, and our "A" Company were all gathered, and for
nearly an hour gas and H.E. shells of every calibre fell all round.
There was little or no cover, and had the shells been all H.E. the
casualties would have been tremendous. As it was we escaped lightly, but
the valley became full of gas and we could see nothing. The position was
bad, so Major Dyer Bennet ordered a general withdrawal to a line along
high ground on both sides of the Aisonville-road--the remains of "B"
Company under Lieut. Ashdowne to the left and "A" Company to the right.
Here we once more dug a line of pits, and by 7-30 p.m. had our new
position in fighting condition, while a succession of explosions, coming
from two blazing heaps near Retheuil Farm, showed how the Tanks had
fared. The whole of these operations had been most difficult and, in
addition to those who had been conspicuous in the attack on the Chateau
in the morning, many other N.C.O.'s and men showed the utmost courage
and coolness. A/C.S.M. Smith, of "A" Company, and Serjts. Wilbur and
Swift and Cpl. Hubbard of Battalion Headquarters, worked particularly
well.
At 8-0 p.m. we were relieved by the 5th South Staffordshires and, after
placing Lewis Guns on the limbers, which had been waiting all day for us
behind the farm, went to Fresnoy. It can hardly be called a march, and
few of us remember much about it. Those on horses slept, those on foot
walked in their sleep and woke up whenever there was a halt, because
they hit their heads against the haversacks of the men in front. Soon
after 11-0 p.m., tired out, we reached Fresnoy and dropped down in the
billets the Right half Battalion had found for us, murmuring as we did
so--"Now we shall have our rest."