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

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for duty in the Cork district. His departure was sorely regretted by all

ranks, for during the twelve months he had been with the 7th, his

capabilities as a commander had only been surpassed by his solicitude

for the men’s welfare, so that he had made his way into our hearts as a

popular soldier. Major Cronshaw of the 5th Manchesters succeeded him and

was soon afterwards made Lt.-Colonel. Captain Farrow, M.C., R.A.M.C.,

was also invalided home, after having had almost unbroken active service

with the battalion since September, 1914.

 

About the middle of July a fairly large column of Turks began to make

their way across the desert from El Arish, intending to strike once more

for the possession of the Suez Canal. They moved with surprising

rapidity and wonderful concealment, and some excitement was caused when

a large enemy force was located by air reconnaissance, so near as

Oghratina Hod, within five miles of Romani, then held by the 52nd

Division. A battle seemed imminent, and this at the worst possible time

in the Egyptian year. A Brigade of the 53rd Division, consisting of

Royal Welsh Fusiliers and Herefords, spent a night at Hill 70 on their

way to occupy a defensive line between Romani and Mahamadiyeh on the

coast. There was an obvious increase in aerial activity on both sides,

and camel and other traffic on the Romani road became more feverish.

 

On July 23rd, the 7th Lancashire Fusiliers relieved the battalion in all

the posts and we marched back to Hill 40, where we found the whole

brigade was concentrating. There was much to be done in equipping the

men, and teaching them the correct method of carrying their belongings

on “Mobile Column,” for that was what we were destined to become. The

equipment was worn in the usual “fighting kit” manner, with the

haversack on the back and under the haversack the drill tunic, folded in

four. This also served as a pad to protect the spine from the sun. Near

Hill 40 there was a large patch of hard sand which the Scottish Horse,

who were in the neighbourhood, had converted into a football pitch.

Small wonder then that we challenged the owners to a game, and a great

game it was. The Scotsmen had an unbeaten record in Egypt, which they

maintained, but only after a ding-dong game which the battalion never

forgot.

 

The next day the Brigade marched forward and made camp at Gilban, about

3-1/2 miles N.E. of Hill 70. An indefinite stay was to be made here, and

defensive precautions were taken, a ring of posts being placed all round

the camp. It was soon found that the principal difficulty was that of

patrolling by night from post to post. On a desert such as this there

were no landmarks of any sort, and as a belt of wire such as we had been

used to at Hill 70 had not been placed between the posts it was by no

means easy to preserve the right direction. As we had reached a

scrub-covered desert, however, this difficulty was easily overcome by

making a sort of track from one post to the next by clearing away the

scrub, and using this to make a clear edge to the track. The battalion

was augmented about this time by drafts from home, and the following

officers rejoined after having been invalided to England in 1915: Lt.

Douglas Norbury, 2nd-Lt. Bryan and 2nd-Lt. L. G. Harris, while a week

previous Major Allan had been posted to us from the 8th Manchesters as

second in command.

 

In the army coming events often cast their shadow before them; and this

shadow frequently takes the form of a visit by the Higher Command to the

troops who are to go into action. Hence, when the Divisional Commander,

Major-General Sir W. Douglas, had the 127th Brigade paraded for him at

Gilban, and when he complimented Brigadier-General Ormsby upon the fine

turn out, we gathered that our long period of waiting for the Turk was

over. He told us to husband our water, and these words I am sure rang

through many an officer’s head in the following days. The 42nd Division,

he said, were expected to make a great coup, and many prisoners were to

be taken. Two days later the preliminary rumbles of the Battle of

Romani were heard, for the Turk had commenced an artillery and bombing

attack upon the garrisons there.

 

ROMANI AND KATIA.

 

The Turkish force, estimated at about 16,000, and much better equipped

than the flying column which had made the first attempt to cross the

canal in March the previous year, had been promised that they should

overwhelm the “small” British garrisons before the Feast of Ramadan.

They would then meet with no resistance and would enter victoriously

into Egypt, a sort of promised land after their hardships across the

desert. Many of them did enter Egypt and reached Cairo, but not in the

way they wished. They were marched through the city as prisoners, and

their presence as such undoubtedly created a profound impression upon

disloyal Egyptians.

 

Inspired by a number of German officers, however, they fought well and

vigorously in the early stages of the attack upon Romani. They had been

told that once they got on the hills in the neighbourhood of the British

positions they would see the Suez Canal stretched out below them, and

this probably urged them on to make almost superhuman efforts. In front

of Romani, in the region of the Katia oasis, mobile outposts furnished

by the Australian Light Horse were driven in after hard fighting, and

they fell back to other positions on the high sand hills to the south of

Romani, covering the right flank of the 52nd Division. Meanwhile a

frontal attack was delivered upon the redoubts occupied by the latter,

and the enemy made many brave attempts to reach the summit of Katib

Gannit, a high hill, in shape similar to the Matterhorn, which dominated

the whole desert. He gained a footing nowhere, however, and exposed to

merciless rifle and machine gun fire from the Scotsmen, suffered heavy

casualties. A similar reception was afforded him by the Welshmen of

158th Brigade further north towards Mahamadiyeh.

 

It was apparent, however, that the enemy’s intention was to force his

way around the southern side and cut the railway and water pipe near

Pelusium behind Romani, and in this part of the battle the Australian

and New Zealand Light Horse, who had had to discard their horses and

fight as infantry, found it difficult to hold their own against repeated

assaults. More terrible than the Turk was the heat and the lack of

water.

 

Such is a rough outline of the situation when the 7th Manchesters along

with the remainder of the 127th Brigade were suddenly ordered to

concentrate at Pelusium. The morning of August 4th opened quietly for

us, although gunfire could be heard, and bursting shrapnel could be seen

in the direction of Duedar. We had settled down to ordinary routine, one

company setting out for a short march, and others preparing for kit

inspections and other camp duties, when suddenly, “B” Company received

orders to fall in and move off, and in a short space of time they were

entrained during the heat of the day for Pelusium. Before noon the whole

battalion was collected on what was supposed to be a bivouac area at the

new destination. But we had seen General Douglas going along the train

at Gilban and he said: “Well, good luck lads, make a good bag,” so we

were not surprised when we found that settling down for bivouac was not

to be our fate.

 

The 5th Manchesters had arrived with us, and the 8th were following on,

while the 6th were already here, having been sent up the previous day.

Our task was to go to the assistance of the Colonials and attack the

Turk on the flank along with the 5th, the 6th and 8th being in support

and reserve. We marched out about 4 o’clock, moving first south and then

south-east. Meanwhile the battle was obviously increasing in intensity,

and when we halted previous to extending, we could see the Turk shrapnel

severely peppering a high ridge in front where a detachment of the

Australian Light Horse, having resumed their horses, were gradually

massing for a charge.

 

[Illustration: PLATE II

 

1. Group of Officers. N.B.—Fleur de Lys

 

2. Ridge occupied on August 5th, 1916

 

3. Issue of Water—Morning of August 5th, 1916

 

4. In Katia, August 6th, 1916]

 

With the 5th on our right we extended into lines about 2,000 yards from

what appeared to be the Turkish position on a ridge to our front. As we

swept into view the enemy opened fire at long range, but very soon it

was evident that they had no stomach left for a further fight. They were

extremely exhausted with their exertions of the previous days,

particularly of the past twenty-four hours, and the sight of lines of

fresh British Infantry moving steadily toward them was more than their

jaded bodies and nerves could stand. As our men climbed the enemy’s

ridge white flags began to appear. They were the long white sandbags

carried by every Turk, and very convenient for their purpose. Large

bodies surrendered and they were collected and sent to the rear.

Meanwhile the Colonials had swept round the hill away to the right, and

in a comparatively short space of time about six hundred Turks were seen

being marched back by a few Australian troopers. The enemy’s artillery

had ceased fire and were obviously making attempts to escape eastwards,

so with the exception of a few rifle shots from the direction of the 5th

the battle in our sector was over for the day.

 

This was the death blow to Turkey’s and Germany’s hopes of ever getting

within striking distance of the Suez Canal, and a vindication of

Kitchener’s principle that British soldiers should get out on the desert

to defend the canal, and not allow the canal to defend them. But more

important still, it was the beginning of that forward move so slow and

weary in its early stages, which later developed into General Allenby’s

wonderful sweep through Palestine.

 

Before nightfall “C” and “D” Companies established themselves in support

to the 5th Manchesters, who had now joined up with the Australians on

the left, but there was very little possibility of the Turk attacking

again that day, so all the troops were rested, in preparation for a

strenuous attack on the morrow. Sentry groups were posted, and the

battalion sat down and made a scanty meal of bread accompanied where

possible with a mouthful of water. This was the first meal most men had

had since breakfast. Numbers of prisoners came in during the night,

each of them carrying a full water bottle. The Turk knew how to preserve

a water supply, and what was of greater interest to us, he knew where to

get it. It speaks well, however, for the chivalry of the British soldier

that none deprived their prisoners of their water, although they were

probably almost without themselves. This sporting attitude towards the

enemy, the spirit of “play the game” whether fighting the clean Turk or

the not so reputable German, I never failed to observe throughout the

war.

 

Stand to at 3.30 the following morning indicated that work was still to

be done, for in the half light, troops of Light Horse could be seen

collecting behind a hill preparatory to a sweep forward. When they

emerged in the increasing light, the enemy could be seen fleeing from a

trench about 1,200 yards away. Very soon word came through that we were

to go in pursuit, and while we were exercised