Fifty Second Day of the Third Battle of Ypres

Thursday 20th September 1917

Today the great offensive, like the engine of a Mark IV Tank, once more roared into life, something the gentlemen of His Majesty’s Press Corps here at the front have been urging for a little while now. Today’s action has straddled the ground either side of the Menin Road, with eleven divisions involved.

One of the earliest actions was a raid near Hollebeke by the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, of which we hope to be able to speak at greater length tomorrow.

The action, running from south to north, has been as follows. 19th (Western) Division attacked with two brigades, 57th and 58th in the area immediately north of Hollebeke and the 2nd Bedfords. Their attack ran south-eastwards and, despite some local difficulties, it appears to have gone well. The strong-points of Hessian Wood, Moat Farm, Funny Farm, Wood Farm, Belgian Wood and North Farm have all been taken and the division is understood to be anticipating a counter-attack(1).

39th Division attacked in a south-easterly direction, took the greater part of Bulgar Wood from positions on the eastern edge of Shrewsbury Forest. A post was also established on the far side of a stream known as the Bassevillebeek.

41st Division were attacking south-eastwards in the general direction of Gheluveldt, though this was not an objective. All three brigades of this division were used. Progress was difficult at times but objectives have been taken including Java Avenue, Tower Trench and Bitter Wood. They could not quite take Tower Hamlets, which is a very strongly sited and defended maze of concrete dug-outs and pillboxes, but have dug in right in front of it and, in places, they are a way short of the Bassevillebeek.

23rd Division used 68th and 69th Brigades and attacked on the left flank of 41st Division and managed to advance a way further, in most places taking all their objectives. 69th Brigade straddled the Menin Road itself. Between them they have taken Dumbarton Wood and Herenthage Chȃteau and, we are very glad to report, the festering sore of Inverness Copse has been eradicated, by 11th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment. This afternoon the understand the enemy made a two determined attempts to retake lost ground but these were destroyed by artillery fire.

1st Australian Division is on the left of 23rd Division and 2nd Division on their flank further to the north. The 6th Australian Battalion passed through Glencorse Wood, of evil memory, with as little difficulty as the 7th Bedfords did on 10th August. Unlike the case with the Bedfords, the units on their flanks also continued going forward, making the Australians’ advance a much easier proposition. The 1st Division has also taken Fitzclarence Farm along with Verbeek Farm, also Nonne Bosschen, the advance coming to a halt on the western edge of Polygon Wood. 2nd Division took Hanebeek, Iron Cross and Anzac House and achieved all its objectives.

9th (Scottish) Division went into action on the left flank of the Australians, attacking north-eastwards in the general direction of Zonnebeke. Two brigades were used - 27th and the South African Brigade. Hanebeek Wood fell quickly, as did the Potsdam pillboxes and the Zonnebeke Redoubt. The South Africans took Borry Farm, Zevenkote and Bremen Redoubts. We understand they were attacked by the enemy about two hours ago, but beat them off.

55th (West Lancashire) Division attacked with 164th and 165th Brigades. . 165th Brigade has taken Iberian, Lens, Gallipoli, Kier, Suvla, Capitol and Delva Farms as well as Hill 35 - another thoroughly successful attack. The day seems to have been harder for 164th Brigade. They have taken Aisne and Loos Farms and Hindu Cottage and Schuler Galleries but further gains seem to have eluded them, a rare disappointment in this day of successes.

58th (2nd/1st) London Division have also made a successful advance, 174th Brigade taking Vancouver Farm and Keerselare as well as Hübner Farm and Dimple Trench, Cluster House, Clifton House, Wurst Farm and Olive House, all their objectives. 173rd Brigade have made a full advance and taken the western edge of the Gravenstafel Spur.

Our friends the 51st (Highland) Division, quartered in Bedford until 1915, attacked with 154th Brigade. They have taken Pheasant Trench and Flora Cottage, Quebec Farm and Bavaroise House. Pheasant Farm Cemetery, Malta, Rose and Delta Houses were taken in a second wave of attacks. A couple of hours ago the enemy began a counter-attack between York Farm and Tweed House. We understand that the highlanders are putting up stiff resistance(2).

20th (Light) Division was the northernmost division in the attack, using 59th and 60th Brigades. 60th Brigade was held up by a defensive line called Eagle Trench, though we understand this is again under assault as I write this (3). 59th Brigade have also been held up by Eagle Trench(4).

It will be evident from the foregoing that fighting is still going on in parts of the battlefield. Nevertheless, it has been a very successful day, with deep gains across a broad front making it the best day for our armies since 31st July. Naturally we have to be cautious about the possibility of enemy counter-attacks overnight and early tomorrow, but there is a decided air of optimism among the “gentlemen of the press” out here tonight.

Source: X550/3/wd

(1) When it arrived at 7.30 p.m. it was quickly stopped.

(2) Until their ammunition ran out, which forced a retirement, Rose Farm falling to the enemy. After collecting ammunition from the dead and wounded the Scots attacked again, retaking the lost ground.

(3) It fell but that was the limit of the gains.

(4) Which could not be taken in its entirety

A New Offensive Begins Successfully at Ypres

 This map shows the original front line in pink with the line gained at the Battle of Messines in orange and today's front line in blue

Tuesday 31st July 1917

A major offensive began today around the Belgian city of Ypres. So far news is very encouraging and everyone is in high hopes that significant progress can be made. Readers will remember comments on past offensive operations to the effect that a successful first day does not necessarily mean continuing success over future days; the enemy is tough and shrewd and will usually launch determined counter-attacks to regain lost ground. Also, much planning goes into the beginning of an offensive, where enemy positions are known and can be countered. After the first day the situation becomes much more fluid and planning, accordingly, much less precise. This often means offensives halting after a few days for an appraisal of the new situation to be made and new plans made accordingly. Thus modern offensives are often a series of starts and stops rather than a free-flowing advance.

On 1st July last year the first day of the great Somme offensive was a very mixed picture. Some thirteen divisions went into the attack, of which two were completely successful (18th (Eastern) including the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment and 30th Division, including the 2nd Battalion), one was partially successful and the other ten were not able to make any progress. Today fifteen divisions attacked across a front stretching, in an arc from Warneton in the south to Boesinge in the north. All of these had at least a little success and some obtained all their objectives, making this a much more satisfying day.

Despite this being the last day of July the weather, though warm enough, has been wet, with nearly an inch falling during the day. As can be imagined this added to the difficulty of the troops. They had to cope with a certain amount of mud, where the rain mingled with the fresh earth thrown-up by shells exploding and the humidity made one sweat of one was simply sitting idly, never mind rushing into a life-or-death attack. In conditions like these a man’s water bottle can empty horribly quickly.

To look at each division’s activities in detail would make a very long piece, so your correspondent will content himself with an overview. He will try to illustrate each action in this battle with maps but craves readers' pardons as information is not aways accurate, he is not a natural artist and the conditions in his dugout are not always conducive of concentration!

From what we have been able to glean so far the attack has been most successful at either end of this arc, north and south. The smallest progress has been made in the centre of the battlefield, around the infamous Menin Road and it is here that, by chance, 18th and 30th Divisions have again found themselves, though we understand that no battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment has been engaged in the attack today.

In all maps the area hatched in blue is ground gained during the attack and orange lines, if shown are boundaries between the attacking units

The southernmost attack, undertaken from the vicinity of Messines towards the town of Warneton (which is a border town and actually lies in France) has been undertaken by the New Zealand Division and 3rd Australian Division. So far both these formations seem to have reached their objectives, which are short of Warneton itself. Both these colonial divisions have a fine reputation which they seem to be upholding today, particularly the New Zealanders, who effectively represent their small nation’s entire army.

Immediately north of the Australians is 37th Division. This formation has also taken a number of its objectives. Only one brigade has been in action and we understand that the brigade including 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, is still well back and not involved. Progress here seems a little less than that made by the colonials but the attack by 19th (Western) Division on the left flank of 37th Division seems to be doing splendidly.

Moving north we come next to 41st Division. Their attack was difficult insomuch as they had one brigade south of the canal from Yser to Commines and another north of it. The canal here does a dog-leg south so that by the end of the attack the brigade south of the canal was west of it and that to the north was east of it. The two brigades, 122nd and 123rd, have, we are told, taken their two objectives and are only a little short of the final objective.

It is the two divisions north of here which have had most difficulty as they are attacking across the middle of the battlefield, which has seen the most action in past campaigning seasons and where defences are at their strongest for this reason. 

24th Division has attacked through Shrewsbury Forest which, we understand, they have taken. However, they have not been able to go much further. In places they have reached their first objective and in others they are still short of it. 

30th Division, so successful on the first day of the great Somme offensive last year, has had a trying day today. 21st Brigade, which includes 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, has taken Bodmin Copse, a little short of its first objective, but could get no further. The Bedfords have not been involved in their brigade’s attack. The adjutant told me a few moments ago that they had received orders at 4.50 this afternoon to attack Glencorse Wood(1) but fifteen minutes later the order was cancelled and the Bedfords were withdrawn 200 yards, when they came under heavy shellfire. This wood was one of the division’s objectives but this evening is still firmly in enemy hands. 90th Brigade has taken Clapham Junction and Stirling Castle astride the Menin Road and, in places, reached its first objective.

One Brigade of the 18th Division, 53rd, was to leap-frog 30th Division once Glencorse Wood had been taken`. In the event, it seems as if 30th Division’s attack was so ill-co-ordinated that 53rd Brigade assisted them by taking a fortification known as Jargon Trench a few hundred yards short of Glencorse Wood at the northernmost part of the division's line(2). The 7th Bedfords are in 54th Brigade and their adjutant informs me that during the day they have moved up close to the battlefront.

North of Glencorse Wood the 8th Division took Bellewaarde Lake(3) and are currently just short of their second objective. 

15th (Scottish) Division have also had a reasonably successful day, taking the hamlet of Frezenburg and their first two objectives. North of them 55th (West Lancashire) Division has been even more successful, taking their first two objectives and also capturing, we are hearing, no less than five batteries of enemy field guns, so rapid was their advance.

39th Division, attacking towards Saint-Julien, took both their first two objectives and are currently part way to their final objective. Our old friends, 51st (Highland) Division, whose war base was in Bedford until they moved to France in 1915, have, by all accounts had a great day. Attacking towards Langemarck they have taken all their objectives and, indeed, gone some way beyond their final objective. Well done the Highlanders!

In the northern part of the battlefield the 38th Division have also taken all three objectives and, like the Highlanders, have overshot and advanced some way beyond. Those magnificent men of the Guards Division, on the left flank of the British Armies and side by side with the 201st French Regiment, attacked towards Wijdendrift from the neighbourhood of Boesinge and again took all their objectives and advanced on beyond them almost to Wijdendrift.

As I write these lines the enemy are massing for counter-attacks in a number of places so this first day of the great offensive is not yet spent. Let us hope that tomorrow will see another successful day(4)

Sources: X550/3/wd; X550/7/1; X550/8/1

(1) This wood would be attacked by the 7th Bedfords on 10th August.

(2) This trench formed the jumping-off point for the 7th Battalion’s attack on Glencorse Wood.

(3) Today a water-based amusement park

(4) These counterattacks were frequently dispersed by British artillery, though they did make some progress against 37th Division near its boundary with 19th Division.

Day Eighty Nine on the Somme

Wednesday 27th September 1916: From our Correspondent in the Field

This morning I received some splendid news from the adjutant of the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, Captain Bridcutt. Readers will remember that yesterday 54th Brigade of 18th Division seized a good part of the fortress village of Thiepval: “The Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel G. D. Price and I arrived at the Chateau in Thiepval. After conferring with Lieutenant-Colonel Maxwell, 12th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, commanding the scattered portions of the three battalions (12th Middlesex, 11th Royal Fusiliers and 6th Northamptonshires) Colonel Price decided to attack the untaken portion of Thiepval - the north-western part of the village. Dispositions for the attack were as follows C and D Companies, commanded by Captains Leslie Keep and Mulligan respectively, were detailed for the assault which was to be carried out in two waves with C Company on the right and D Company on the left. A and B Companies were sheltered close at hand in German dug-outs. Zero was fixed for 5.30 a.m.”

Captain T R J Mulligan

“The morning was extremely dark and the assaulting companies had great difficulty in forming up for the attack on the correct alignment. At about 5.45 all was ready and a few minutes later the two waves advanced, sweeping across the untaken portion of ground and the enemy trenches. Two machine-guns and a good deal of rifle fire opened from the enemy's lines but our troops continued to advance and in a short time were in possession of the German trenches on the north-western face of Thiepval. Captain Mulligan and Second Lieutenant Potts fell, badly wounded but during the action 36 prisoners were taken and about a hundred Germans killed by rifle fire and bayonets”.

“This action, though apparently small, was of the utmost importance as without the whole of the Village of Thiepval and the trenches surrounding it being captured, the whole line of attack was held up. So to the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment (especially C and D Companies) belongs the honour and glory of the final destruction of one of the Germans’ strongest positions and one which they had boasted could never be taken”.

“Our casualties were 2 officers above mentioned and about 110 other ranks in the above action. The other three battalions of the 54th Brigade, who made yesterday’s attack on Thiepval, had been withdrawn to cover in our support area”. If Captain Bridcutt sounded elated he can be forgiven. The Battalion, and the division more widely, has achieved something of note today, the equal of its successes on the first day of the battle and at Trônes Wood.

I have since learned that of just over one hundred men wounded, 51 have been killed today, with two having died last night in moving up to support the brigade attack. A number of others will likely not survive the day. An officer killed, not mentioned by the adjutant, is Second Lieutenant Ian Ross-Taylor from Essex. Lieutenant Henry Potts is very gravely wounded and has been moved back to a hospital near Boulogne(1).

This evening Captain Bridcutt has been back in touch. It looks as if the battalion will be called on again tomorrow to attack one of the three redoubts which lie near Thiepval from north to east – Schwaben Redoubt to the north. This promises to be a more dangerous operation than the taking of the village.

This afternoon 11th Division, having taken Mouquet Farm yesterday but failed to take another of these redoubts – Zollern Redoubt, tried again. Evidently they had done considerabe damage in their attack yesterday as they found the place empty and have gladly occupied it. No doubt the seizure of Thiepval also contributed to this evacuation as the place was then outflanked. They have also attacked the third of the redoubts, which lies just north of Zollern Redoubt – Stuff Redoubt. An attack here this morning filed but this afternoon 9th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment attacked alone. This can be disastrous but to the Yorkshiremen’s credit they have obtained a toehold on the southern face of the redoubt. An hour later another Yorkshire unit – 6th Battalion Green Howards, who had been due to attack with the West Yorkshires, took eighty or so prisoners in a nearby trench and joined their colleagues at the south face of the redoubt.

The Canadians have been involved in heavy fighting south of Le Sars over a trench called Kenora Trench, which is an eastern extension of the Regina Trench mentioned yesterday.

Elsewhere 55th (West Lancashire) Division have taken another section of Gird Trench, north-west of Gueudecourt, the village which fell yesterday. The Germans still hold part of this trench, where it joins with another called Goose Alley. 1st Division and 23rd Division have also made small gains today.

Source: X550/8/1

(1) He would die on 1st October and is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.

Day Eighty Seven on the Somme

Monday 25th September 1916: From our Correspondent in the Field

Today has seen another large attack across a broad front extending in an arc from Martinpuich through Eaucourt-l’Abbaye, Gueudecourt, Lesboeufs and Morval to Combles in the south. Our own 1st and 8th Battalions have been caught up in these attacks.

Moving from left to right: 50th (Northumbrian) Division and 1st Division have advanced a small way north towards the hamlet of Eaucourt-l’Abbaye. The New Zealanders formed the defensive left flank for this whole operation. They moved forward against unexpectedly weak opposition and now face north-west towards Eaucourt-l’Abbaye. 55th (West Lancashire) Division took a short stretch of a main German defensive line called Gird Trench just to the north of its original position

21st Division attacked towards the village of Gueudecourt. We had heard rumours that Gueudecourt had fallen, but it has become clear this evening that it has not. The attack could get no further than Gird Trench, part of which was taken but most of which remains in German hands.

The Guards Division attacked an area south of Gueudecourt as far as a road through the middle of Lesboeufs. The Guards met with little in the way of opposition, stormed through the ruins and have now occupied ground just to the east.

6th Division attacked towards Lesboeufs. The adjutant of 8th Bedfords tells me that they were in reserve for the 16th Infantry Brigade attack on the German lines between Lesboeufs and Morval to the south: “The attack commenced at 12.35 pm and the Battalion moved up to the original front line when the second objective had been taken about 2.35. Casualties from the enemy barrage were very slight. The attack proved successful and many prisoners were taken. Tonight the Battalion will furnish carrying parties to the front line battalions with ammunition and water”.

The division attacked an area north of Morval as far as the road through the centre of Lesboeufs. The division succeeded splendidly in taking all its objectives and is now dug-in east of Lesboeufs with the Guards on its right and 5th Division on its left.

The aforementioned 5th Division includes, of course, 1st Bedfords. They were in their assembly trenches by 9.30 last night. The adjutant takes up the story: "At 1.35 pm the Battalion advanced in four waves at 150 yards distance one from another, passing over the trench taken by the 1st Norfolks. The first line reached their objective, the sunken road, by 1.40. Lewis guns were immediately placed in position on the top of the bank and several drums fired at the retiring enemy. The Battalion dug-in along the line of the road and also on the top of the bank. Touch was gained with the 16th Brigade at 1.50 and with the 95th Brigade about 2 pm”.

So far so good, but there have, it seems, been familiar problems: “Considerable casualties were sustained from our own field guns, both during the advance and while holding the sunken road”. This issue, it will be remembered, hampered the 8th Battalion attack on 15th. However, Morval, along with Lesboeufs, has fallen today. 1st Cheshires succeeded in occupying it by 3 pm. The farthest point reached has been the old windmill east of the village.

The right flank of the British armies in France is currently held by 56th (London) Division. This formation attacked Combles in co-operation wih French 2nd Division around midnight. They advanced round the north end of Bouleaux Wood, which still contains German defenders, and the two nations’ troops succeeded in taking Combles and are now dug-in well to the east of it, the British facing east and the French facing north.

So today, whilst not uniformly successful, has seen another series of hammer blows to the German lines. The capture of three villages is a huge success and in places the German defenses have been much weaker than normal. One wonders if there is some sort of crisis in the German army on the Somme which our forces may be able to exploit in the days ahead(1)

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/9/1

(1) The Germans, worried about a breakthrough on the Somme, had just begun a fortified line some miles behind their own front line. This was the Siegfriedstellung, known the British as the Hindenburg Line. During the Spring of 1917 the Germans withdrew