The Seventh Manchesters, S. J. Wilson [most important books to read TXT] 📗

conception of the state of affairs, and one battery fairly

peppered the H.Q. road with shrapnel, inflicting about a dozen

casualties, while others covered our own forward positions with the same

kind of shell, and so added to the list. I am convinced that there is

nothing more demoralising to a soldier in defence than to come under the

fire of his own guns, so, to say the least, these moments were very

trying. The difficulty of communicating with the rear caused a further

delay in the correction of this serious blunder, and our men had to

maintain a grip on their positions whilst subjected to fire from both

sides, for by this time the enemy had got his guns up, impudently close

to the front line, evidently with a view to a further advance, and was

using them to advantage. Some of them could be distinctly seen on the

outskirts of Logeast Wood, and it was obvious that most of the others

responsible for our discomfort were in the Wood itself. Further away the

roads from Grevillers, Bapaume, Loupart Wood, etc., could be seen choked

with masses of advancing Germans. If only we had had a few 60-pounders,

what perfect execution we should have accomplished. There were batteries

of guns, companies of infantry, columns of transport, staff-cars, and

all the impedimenta of a moving army. I expect the heart of every Hun of

them swelled with the pride of achievement. They were marching to the

last victory that was going to obliterate the hated English and end the

war. They were not yet aware that just here there was a row of troops,

from right to left, New Zealanders, Australians, Yorkshiremen,

Lancashiremen, and Guards, who did not intend to concede another yard of

ground.

 

How we longed for the heavy guns during the days that followed, but they

could not, of course, come into action until the infantry line had been

stabilised. Weeks later we heard stories of the doings on those roads

behind the lines, and perhaps we should not judge too harshly, for

traffic control was difficult and there was obviously an excessive

demand upon transport. Add to this the disturbing lack of news and the

peculiar shape of the front, for whereas we were facing east, the 62nd

division with the exception of one battalion in Bucquoy were facing

south, and some explanation may be found for the slight degree of

confusion. The divisional artillery, 18-pounders and 4.5 howitzers,

remained faithful to the infantry, and the 42nd gunners never showed up

to prouder advantage than they did during those stern days. It was not

they who had fired upon us. They were too close to us to make any

mistake in that way, for during the heaviest fighting they had their

guns within 1,600 yards of the front line, and where cover was

unobtainable either for gun or man. Needless to say they suffered very

heavily both in personnel and material, for the enemy aircraft soon

found them, and they were hammered and gassed mercilessly. Their forward

observation officers maintained a liaison with the H.Q. of the infantry

battalions, and in addition to courageous work in searching for targets

and correcting gun fire they showed the greatest consideration for our

needs.

 

Although the 7th occupied a commanding position it was singularly bare

and exposed so that cover was difficult to find. During the first few

hours “D” company of the M.G’s. had all their guns but one put out of

action, and almost all their officers and men became casualties. They

had pluckily worked their weapons in the hastily sited positions until

knocked out—not before, however, they had carried out savage execution

amongst the more venturesome Huns, and they certainly had the effect of

making the remainder hesitate. The nature of the ground made it

difficult also for the battalion observers to work, for it was evident

the enemy F.O.O’s. were specially searching for such people, and the

moment they fixed up a telescope down came a hurricane of shelling, the

close proximity of the Boche guns making their fire extremely accurate

and deadly. The result was that after the first day’s fighting, of the

observers only two, Cpl. Maguire and Pte. Wilmer, remained. Not to be

daunted by the fate of their comrades they clung to their task, and

when shelled out of one spot immediately found another. They kept the

enemy under close watch and strung together most valuable chains of

evidence as to their movements, gallant work for which both received the

M.M.

 

The signallers also suffered heavily. Wires were difficult to keep in

repair but the linesmen continued to go out during the heaviest

shelling, while others maintained a system of lamp signalling to the

brigade behind a pile of ammunition boxes until a 5.9 dropped plumb

amongst them with dire results. Other signallers at once found a new

spot and kept communication going. But these were searching days for

everyone, when physical endurance and mental stamina were stretched to

their furthest limit. As the day wore on, the guns that we had seen in

the distance gradually came into action against us until shells were

raining down continuously on all parts of our line. Obviously, the enemy

infantry had given up the hope of further progress, for our men were

like terriers, keenly watching for the slightest sign of a Hun helmet,

and the artillery were left to do their worst upon us. Just before dusk

the M.O., Capt. Philp, was killed by a shell whilst bending over a

wounded man on a stretcher. No cover could be found for an aid-post, and

it had to be established in the open at a convenient spot on the ground.

In fact, the only dug-out in the area was that occupied by H.Q., and it

was shared by Col. Wedgwood of the 6th, so that two battalion H.Q. were

confined in a spot no more than seven feet square, while the entrance

faced the enemy in an exposed part of the road.

 

Darkness had brought quiet at last, but no rest. Rations had come up and

they had to be distributed. Similarly with ammunition and water. Also

the enemy might attempt a night assault, for it was not to be expected

that he would be satisfied with this very pronounced re-entrant in his

line. The 6th, whose line ran close to the edge of Ablainzevelle, sent a

patrol into the village. The small parties of Boche fled at their

approach and left two M.G’s. in their hands. Our patrols searched all

the low ground in front but could not find the enemy.

 

Next morning, March 27th, about 9 o’clock, the battle re-opened with

redoubled vigour. Fresh enemy troops had been brought up and they made a

determined attempt to push forward. A terrific bouncing barrage came

down upon our positions, but the men stood up to it, in spite of the

heavy casualties, and opened fire upon the groups of Boche who attempted

to get across the open. The main infantry assault took place near

Ablainzevelle, and here the 6th had the work of repelling them, but

after some hand to hand fighting the enemy fell back and confined his

energies to sniping and M.G. work. Meanwhile, the landscape was steadily

changing its appearance in the 7th sector. What had once been good roads

and respectable fields were shell-pitted and strewn with debris, a pile

of S.A.A. boxes that had been left behind had been hit and in the fire

that resulted there was a disturbing display of fireworks from the

exploding cartridges. The trees were losing their accustomed beauty,

many having been smashed down completely. But picture the trepidation of

the aid-post detachment, now in charge of Capt. Greville, for they lay

close to a huge dump of shells that was liable to be hit at any moment.

During the quieter days Bucquoy had evidently been an ammunition park,

and as not much of the stuff had been removed, it was an exciting spot

to fight in.

 

All day this steady pounding continued, and when the enemy infantry

definitely gave up their efforts to get near our line they supplemented

the shelling by an unceasing hail of traversing M.G. fire. Yet, through

this the runners and stretcher bearers performed their appointed tasks,

and there was no period when perfect touch was not maintained between

the C.O. and any part of the front line and also back to brigade H.Q.,

nor were there cases of wounded men being left unduly exposed after they

had been hit. The constant stream of runners, etc., of both battalions

converging on the H.Q. dug-out, exposed to observation as it was, soon

made the truth of the matter plain to the enemy, and he began to pay

attention to it with 5.9’s. An anxious moment came when he hit the

entrance and buried a number of men standing in the improvised steps.

All were extricated, however, and those who were wounded carried away.

The entrance was cleared, steps constructed again, and the work carried

on as usual. “D” company lost its commander again, for Lieut. Morten was

hit, and this left Lieut. Gresty in charge.

 

Evening again brought a welcome respite, and it was decided to minimise

casualties by reducing the garrisons of the front trenches, for by now a

sort of trench had been made and a little wire had been put out in front

the previous night. One platoon per company was taken out and sent back,

where they were placed under the command of Col. Blatherwick of the 5th,

who remained in brigade support. Daylight of March 28th brought a

resumption of the enemy effort at least to straighten his line and

masses of Huns could be seen gradually collecting in the Nisson huts. In

the previous days the 18-pounders had kept this spot under fire, but

Col. Bromfield decided to call for howitzer assistance to smash down the

earth walls round the huts, a plan which met with great success. Our

shells dropped plumb amongst them, and Huns could be seen dashing about

in all directions in search of more effective cover. Our shrapnel

barrage had been considerably improved also, and the moment the enemy

left their positions it promptly came down and drove them to earth

again. The 7th were worn out, and the men were losing their spruce

appearance, but rifles and L.G’s. were kept clean, and amidst the

terrific shelling of that day they asked for nothing better than that

Jerry would try to come across to give them an opportunity for revenge.

The enemy’s guns had increased in number, chiefly the heavy variety, and

it was now his obvious intention to blow us off the ridge. The heavy

pounding never ceased. Many gallant deeds were performed by runners,

stretcher-bearers and ammunition-carrying-platoons through this inferno.

Lieut. Bagshaw was awarded the M.C. for his work in leading ammunition

fatigues, but the supreme decoration of all—the seal of death—came to

a large number of the Fleur-de-lys. Amongst the officers—Capt. Tinker,

Lieut. Walter Thorp and Lieut. Ludlam were killed outright, while

Lieuts. Woods and McLaine were mortally wounded.

 

After a final effort in the late afternoon to advance against our

positions in a line of small sections, which was met with the usual

devastating fire, the enemy gave it up and occupied the remaining hours

of daylight with fierce shelling. Our heavy artillery had at last

returned and got to work and their shelling began to have effect, for it

was noticeable that the Boche shells were now arriving from a greater

distance than formerly. The 6th had an exciting episode that day. A

party of courageous Germans, led by an officer, had pushed forward and

were throwing bombs amongst them. Lieut. Mall decided this must be

stopped, and he led one platoon over in a short sharp charge. Fifteen

Huns were bayonetted, and Mall returned