The Guards completed the capture of the St. Quentin Ridge and entered
Gonnelieu, where they captured over 350 prisoners and a large number of
machine guns. Tanks took an effective part in the fighting for the
ridge. At one point, where our infantry were held up by fire from a
hostile trench, a single tank attacked and operated up and down the
trench, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy's garrison. Our infantry
were then able to advance and secure the trench, which was found full of
dead Germans. In it were also found fifteen machine guns that had been
silenced by the tank. In the whole of this fighting splendid targets
were obtained by all tank crews and the German casualties were seen to
be very great.
Further south a number of tanks co-operated with dismounted Indian
cavalry of the 5th Cavalry Division and with the Guards in the attacks
upon Villers-Guislain and Gauche Wood, and were in great measure
responsible for the capture of the wood. Heavy fighting took place for
this position, which it is clear that the enemy had decided to hold at
all costs. When the infantry and cavalry finally took possession of the
wood, great numbers of German dead and smashed machine guns were found.
In one spot four German machine guns, with dead crews lying round, were
discovered within a radius of twenty yards. Three German field guns,
complete with teams, were also captured in this wood.
Other tanks proceeded to Villers-Guislain, and, in spite of heavy direct
artillery fire, three reached the outskirts of the village, but the fire
of the enemy's machine guns prevented our troops advancing from the
south from supporting them, and the tanks ultimately withdrew.
Severe fighting took place, also, at Masnières. During the afternoon and
evening at least nine separate attacks were beaten off by the 29th
Division on this front, and other hostile attacks were repulsed in the
neighborhood of Marcoing, Fontaine-notre-Dame, and Bourlon. With the
Bonavis Ridge in the enemy's hands, however, Masnières was exposed to
attack on three sides, and on the night of Dec. 1-2 our troops were
withdrawn under orders to a line west of the village.
On the afternoon of Dec. 2 a series of heavy attacks developed against
Welsh Ridge in the neighborhood of La Vacquerie, and further assaults
were made on our positions in the neighborhood of Masnières and Bourlon.
These attacks were broken in succession by our machine-gun fire, but the
enemy persisted in his attempts against Welsh Ridge, and gradually
gained ground. By nightfall our line had been pushed back to a position
west and north of Gonnelieu.
Next day the enemy renewed his attacks in great force on the whole front
from Gonnelieu to Marcoing, and ultimately gained possession of La
Vacquerie. North of La Vacquerie repeated attacks made about Masnières
and Marcoing were repulsed in severe fighting, but the positions still
retained by us beyond the Canal de l'Escaut were extremely exposed, and
during the night our troops were withdrawn under orders to the west bank
of the canal.