None the less, stubborn resistance was offered during the morning by
isolated parties of our troops and by machine-gun detachments in the
neighborhood of Lateau Wood and southeast of La Vacquerie, as well as at
other points. In more than one instance heavy losses are known to have
been inflicted on the enemy by machine-gun fire at short range.
Northeast of La Vacquerie the 92d Field Artillery Brigade repulsed four
attacks, in some of which the enemy's infantry approached to within 200
yards of our guns before the surviving gunners were finally compelled to
withdraw, after removing the breechblocks from their pieces. East of
Villers-Guislain the troops holding our forward positions on the high
ground were still offering a strenuous resistance to the enemy's attack
on their front at a time when large forces of German infantry had
already advanced up the valley between them and Villers-Guislain. South
of this village a single strong point known as Limerick Post, garrisoned
by troops of the 1st and 5th Battalions, (King's Own,) Royal Lancaster
Regiment, and the 1st and 10th Battalions, Liverpool Regiment, held out
with great gallantry throughout the day, though heavily attacked.
The progress made by the enemy, however, across the northern end of the
Bonavis Ridge and up the deep gully between Villers-Guislain and
Gonnelieu, known as 22 Ravine, turned our positions on the ridge as well
as in both villages. Taking in flank and rear, the defenses of
Villers-Guislain, Gonnelieu, and Bonavis were rapidly overrun.
Gouzeaucourt was captured about 9 A. M., the outer defenses of La
Vacquerie were reached, and a number of guns which had been brought up
close to the line in order to enable them to cover the battle front
about Masnières and Marcoing fell into the hands of the enemy.
At this point the enemy's advance was checked by the action of our local
reserves, and meanwhile measures had been taken with all possible speed
to bring up additional troops. About midday the Guards came into action
west of Gouzeaucourt, while cavalry moved up to close the gap on their
right and made progress toward Villers-Guislain from the south and
southwest.
The attack of the Guards, which was delivered with the greatest
gallantry and resolution, drove the enemy out of Gouzeaucourt and made
progress on the high ground known as the St. Quentin Ridge, east of the
village. In this operation the Guards were materially assisted by the
gallant action of a party of the 29th Division, who, with a company of
North Midland Royal Engineers, held on throughout the day to a position
in an old trench near Gouzeaucourt. Valuable work was also done by a
brigade of field artillery of the 47th Division, which moved direct into
action from the line of march.
During the afternoon three battalions of tanks which, when they received
news of the attack, were preparing to move away from the battlefield to
refit, arrived at Gouzeaucourt and aided the infantry to hold the
recaptured ground. Great credit is due to the officers and men of the
tank brigade concerned for the speed with which they brought their tanks
into action.
Meanwhile, the defense of La Vacquerie had been successfully maintained,
and our line had been established to the north of that village, in touch
with our troops in Masnières.