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

were of no

avail, and a more peremptory order than the last was received, so he

took a sorrowful farewell and departed, followed by the regrets of the

whole battalion, and indeed of a good number of the division. “Some have

greatness thrust upon them,” was applicable in his case, for he had not

sought promotion but preferred to remain a “parish priest” and live

amongst the men. Much the same remark applied to the C.O. who, in the

absence of General Henley at Divisional Headquarters, was called upon

to take command of the brigade during the succeeding weeks, for he

always expressed his preference for battalion work. Owing to the fact

that Major Rae was in hospital at this time with the “flue,” Capt.

Creagh assumed command of the battalion, and Lt. Barratt being on a

month’s leave in England, Lt. Wilson was temporarily appointed Adjutant.

Capt. Palmer, an old officer of the 7th, who had been carrying out

important work in England since his recovery from a wound obtained in

Gallipoli on June 4th, returned to us some weeks previous to this and

was put in command of “C” company.

 

During our period in reserve the 126th brigade had continued our

worrying tactics and had attempted to raid La Signy Farm. They found the

place strongly held, however, and after repeated efforts to get to the

Hun positions had been forced to abandon the attempt. When we took over

the front line from the 10th Manchesters for a continuous spell of

sixteen days, we found that we were expected to co-operate at once in a

forward movement with the New Zealanders, who were in the Hebuterne

sector, and who intended to occupy a shorter line across the valley. The

first day, July 19th, found us making preparations for this operation at

express speed ready for evening. Lieut. Edge, an old second line

officer, was put in charge of a party supplied by “C” company, and they

were expected to capture and hold a Boche post about 500 yards away. It

was decided that the silent method would be the best, so artillery

support was declined. Edge displayed consummate skill and patience in

carrying out this hazardous enterprise, and his difficulties were not

lessened by disturbing events on both flanks. All along the New Zealand

front, from Hebuterne to Rossignol Wood, an advance was taking place,

while immediately on the left the 6th were moving forward and in the

process had met with considerable resistance so that a pitched battle

had arisen. To add to the troubles the Naval Division on our right had

selected this night for a raid near Beaumont Hamel, accompanied with

noise, with the result that the Hun put down his protective barrage all

along our ridge. Our front line was packed with men who were to go over

and dig a communication trench and generally assist in the consolidation

when the post had been captured, and how they escaped casualties from

this shelling was nothing short of a miracle. Meanwhile, Edge and his

men were creeping steadily forward, and were encountering difficulties

amongst huge shell holes, loose tags of wire and a very irregular hedge

which they were trying to follow as a guide. Eventually they reached the

post and took the enemy completely by surprise. A short rush carried

them in and one Boche was captured, but the rest got away in the

darkness, leaving their gear behind them. The consolidating party

followed up quickly, and covered by a protective screen who lay out well

in front in the vicinity of Red Cottage, they dug L.G. positions, fire

steps for riflemen and placed coils of wire out in front and on the

flanks. A good deal of the C.T. was also dug—quite sufficient at any

rate to enable a careful man to crawl down to the new post in daylight.

It was a good night’s work, and earned a well-deserved M.C. for Lieut.

Edge and M.M’s. for Sgt. Banahan and three others.

 

Next day, brigade considered the necessity for careful consolidation of

the ground gained by the 6th and 7th, but Capt. Creagh intimated that he

wished to make his position more secure by capturing the Triangle, a

strong triangular redoubt which lay in the grounds of La Signy Farm, and

which dominated the post we had just taken. Permission was granted to

carry out this enterprise, and once more preparations were rushed

forward and orders made out for the operation to be accomplished that

night. This time “D” company, temporarily commanded by Lt. Douglas, was

selected to provide the attackers. They were back in reserve, close to

Batt. H.Q., and on suitable ground for carrying out a quick rehearsal.

Also it was decided that the best method of clearing the Boche would be

by bombing. The battalion bombing officer was Lieut. Gresty, who

belonged to “D” company, and he was put in command of the attacking

party, 2nd-Lt. Gorst, at his own request, being detailed to assist him.

 

The post captured the previous night was the “jumping off” place, and

the plan was to work along the enemy trench to the right, clear it by

bombing, and so get to the Triangle. The whole operation was a huge

success, and never did the eager fighting qualities of the Fleur de Lys

show up to prouder advantage than in the display given by “D” company

that night. The unexpected direction of approach took the enemy

completely by surprise, for our men had not proceeded far before they

caught a working party out in the open. There was a short scrap, but

most of the poor Jerries had no weapons handy, and they ran off

squealing and chattering like a lot of monkeys, leaving their dead and

wounded behind. Our men pushed on quickly, anxious to make the fullest

possible use of the surprise element, until the northern corner of the

Triangle was reached. Here they split up into two parties, Gresty

continuing the original direction, and Gorst turning along to the right.

The latter party found the trench strongly occupied, but the enemy were

so oblivious of what was happening that they were busy “dishing out

stew” for the evening meal. When they were surprised a few of them

indeed showed plucky fight, hurriedly seizing bombs and throwing them

wildly in the direction of the attackers. Others succeeded in grasping

their rifles, and Gorst received a nasty bullet wound in the shoulder,

but not before he had accounted for one or two Huns with his revolver.

Sgt. Horsfield, who understood perfectly the meaning of “Carry on,

Sergeant!” continued this part of the show, and the Huns were chased

along the trench to the western apex. Here a pitched bombing battle

ensued, and very soon the enemy got out and raced across the open in the

direction of the farm. Meanwhile, Gresty had led his men over a sort of

switch back trench, for it had been so heavily pounded by our Newton

T.M’s. that it was difficult to make it out at all in the dark.

Nevertheless they struggled along, and finding the far corner of the

Triangle occupied, quickly bombed the enemy out of it and proceeded to

consolidate. At the same time other parties, each of one N.C.O. and six

men, had been detailed in the work of manning various posts en route,

digging L.G. emplacements, and wiring and constructing of communication

trenches. In fact, in a very short time the whole place, which had been

a Hun strong point, was swarming with British soldiers busily working to

turn round the defences.

 

Just as dawn was breaking a few Huns effected an entrance into one of

the trenches and commenced to bomb the post at the far corner, whereupon

the late Lce.-Cpl. Lockett of “C” company, who was in charge of the post

at the apex, took a couple of men and promptly counter attacked them.

Their leader, an N.C.O. with the Iron Cross and another man were

captured, while the rest made off again. Lce.-Cpl. Lockett was awarded

the D.C.M. for his sensible and courageous action. A good many

casualties must have been inflicted on the enemy during this night’s

work for they left a number of dead and wounded behind, whilst several

others suffering from slighter wounds must have got away. They left

booty in our hands, and the large number of rifles and machine guns

alone indicated the strength of the garrison. Our men obtained plenty of

souvenirs, but they were sensible enough to hand over anything of

military value, which was returned to them after examination by

competent authorities. Useful disposition maps, and intelligence

reports, to say nothing of piles of letters and post-cards were thus

sent up for inspection, while during the next few days when visiting the

area occupied by “D” company one was greeted by the unwonted scent of

cigar smoke, for the Hun was ever a connoisseur on cheap cigars.

 

Heavy rain during the following days converting our new trenches into a

quagmire, the necessity for digging and cleaning up became all the more

urgent, although it entailed a heavy strain upon the men under most

uncomfortable conditions. As “B,” “C” and “D” companies had each “had a

stunt” and covered themselves with glory, it now remained for “A”

company to do likewise. Their turn came on the night of July 27th, when

it was decided to push forward and occupy Cetorix Trench, about 300

yards beyond the Triangle, and so make our position even more secure.

Unfortunately there was very heavy rain in the early evening, but the

party went out, and after a serious dispute with the enemy, in which

2nd-Lt. Goodier, M.C., was wounded again, gained their objective. What

was supposed to be a trench, however, was found to be a sunken road,

frightfully shell-pitted, and in a most appalling condition of mud and

water. It was not considered worth holding and the whole party was

wisely withdrawn.

 

The La Signy Farm fighting was not yet over, for on the morning of

August 3rd, while “B” company were in the front line, the enemy put down

a heavy barrage on all our positions, particularly on the Triangle.

Then, just as dawn broke, a party of about forty Huns rapidly started

across No Man’s Land, but the 7th were too much for them. They stuck to

their posts and rapidly emptied Lewis guns and rifles amongst them, and

when they were sufficiently close greeted them also with bombs. The

Boche became disorganised and scattered, some groping about for gaps in

our hastily constructed wire, but it was a hopeless business and the

remaining plucky ones cleared off in disgust. Then Lt. Pell-Ilderton

followed out with a small party, and finding a couple of dead brought

them in. The Huns had carefully removed all evidences of identification

before the venture, but one man had a black and white cockade in his

cap, which proved him to be a Prussian. As the previous division was

known to be Wurtemburger, we immediately notified this fact to H.Q.

Further proof was afforded by a slightly wounded Boche who, having

apparently got lost, had wandered into a post occupied by the 6th.

 

That day we were relieved by the L.F’s. and went back into divisional

reserve, this time to billets in Louvencourt, and there received

congratulations from various people for our excellent work during the

last long spell in the line. The final incident furnished Col. Manger

with an extra battalion motto: “What we have, we hold.” For the attack

on the Triangle, Military Crosses were awarded to Lieut. Gresty and

2nd-Lt. Gorst, while Sgt. Horsfield, who had already earned the D.C.M.

and Belgian Croix de Guerre when with the 9th Manchesters, received a

Military Medal. Five other ranks were similarly decorated.

 

The battalion was augmented about this time by the arrival of the cadre

of the 2nd