Seventeenth Day of the Third Battle of Ypres

Thursday 16th August 1917

Today we have, so far, seen no rain. It has been a day of great activity with more attacks than at any time since 31st July. Eight divisions have been in action over the whole northern part of the battlefront and we will begin with 56th (London) Division because their attack was supported by the gallant B Company of 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. They were detailed to attack a strongpoint in the north-west corner of Inverness Copse but were unsuccessful. 

Second Lieutenant Craig told me: “B Company, having formed up on the tapes put out by me during the night, attacked the enemy strong-point marked with an x on the map above which shows the attack made on 10th August. This attack was carried out in conjunction with a large offensive by the Division on our left; a heavy shrapnel barrage opened at zero hour (4.45 a.m.) and 4.5 inch howitzers shot on strong-points. Owing to some mistake a battery of 4.5 howitzers detailed to shoot on the enemy's strong-point we were attacking fired short and on to our company about to move forward to the attack, knocking out 50% of our effectives out. Captain Ferguson at once supported with a platoon of D Company but owing to the heavy enemy machine-gun fire little could be done and the attempt to capture the strong point was abandoned. From 7 a.m. the day was chiefly spent in artillery duels, no further infantry activity taking place on our sector”. The 4th Battalion, London Regiment, managed to make a defensive flank along the south edge of Glencorse Wood, which the Bedfords had taken on 10th but been driven out of due to lack of artillery support.

Two brigades of 56th Division (167th and 169th) attacked towards Glencorse Wood and Nonne Bosschen. 169th Brigade took Glencorse Wood but, like the Bedfords before them, were driven out again and, we understand are back in their starting trenches as I write these words. Part of 167th Brigade are thought to have penetrated Polygon Wood but, sinisterly, we have been told that nothing has been seen or heard from those men for a long time. Overall the brigade is reckoned to have pushed the front line eastwards by about a quarter of a mile.

8th Division are in the line immediately north of 56th Division and they also attacked with two brigades (23rd and 25th). 25th Brigade attacked north -eastwards towards Hanebeek Wood and Iron Cross Redoubt, they passed through the wood and have managed to take the latter strongpoint. Two other strongpoints further on, Anzac and Zonnebeke Redoubts have also been taken. As I write the Brigade is reckoned to be consolidating on the line of their final objective. The 23rd Brigade attack was hampered by slow going of 16th (Irish) Division on their left flank but the position called Sans Souci was taken but enemy counterattacks meant that the brigade could not advance further than Hanebeek Wood.

The attack by Irishmen of 16th Division was unable to make as much initial headway as hoped. 48th Brigade initially got as far as Vampire and Potsdam Farms. We understand they may have subsequently gone beyond Vampire Farm, though this is uncertain(1). 49th Brigade took a strongpoint called Beck House and then Delva Farm and so have advanced a good distance. Now, of course, they will be expecting an enemy counter-attack.

Moving north again, we find the Ulstermen of 36th Division going into action, as they did on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, side-by-side with their compatriots from the south of Ireland. Their attack, like their neighbours, was in a north-easterly direction. Sadly, they were much less successful than the 16th Division. 108th Brigade encountered withering fire from strongpoints and could make to gains at all. 109th Brigade did manage a short advance, taking Corn Hill and Fort Hill a hundred yards or so in front, but were well short of the objectives they had been set.

145th Brigade of 48th (South Midland) Division also attacked north-eastwards towards Saint-Julien. The village was taken after a severe struggle. Their objective was Springfield Farm but the few that got this far seem to have been killed or captured. Overall the brigade has been able to advance between a third and half way to its objective, having got further in the north of its sector, just short of a place called Maison du Hibou.

34th Brigade of 11th Division, to the north of 145th Brigade has managed an advance of some distance, though, again, more successful towards the north of their sector. A building called Cockcroft was taken without resistance, a place close to their overall objective which, we understand, they have not quite reached. Further north the brigade took a position called Pheasant Trench, just in front of Pheasant Farm, a little way beyond their objective. Because of the uneven advance of the brigade the troops at Pheasant Trench have had to form a defensive flank along a stream called the Lekkerboterbeek and reports are that this may be vulnerable to any German counter-attack overnight or tomorrow.

20th (Light) Division began today south-west of Langemarck and had orders to take it, advancing north-eastwards. Two brigades were used in this attack, 60th and 61st. 60th Brigade achieved a considerable feat in taking the village, having, at times, we are told, to advance in single file in the narrow gaps between water-filled craters. The Brigade managed to take its final objective well beyond Langemarck but we have just heard that it was attacked in mid-afternoon and lost some ground but we think they may have retaken all or most of it. 61st Brigade, to the north of 60th, took Langemarck Station and is now, we believe, moving towards its final objective. This division has done splendidly and seems to have been the most successful today.

The final division attacking today has been 29th. Its two brigades, 88th and 87th have taken their objectives, too, having advanced as far as a position called Japan House and almost to the road running from Langemarck north-west to Veldhoek.

That any advance at all has been made today is little short of super-human. The battlefield is a sea of claggy mud interspersed with little islands of broken bricks, former houses and barns, or concrete, enemy strongpoints. The enemy has been his usual defiant self and used his defensive advantages well. The men who have come through today can feel very proud of themselves and their fellow soldiers.

(1) They had, but were forced to withdraw later that night.

The Chemical Works and That Accursed Red Patch

Saturday 12th May 1917

Last evening another attack was made on the chemical works at Roeux. 4th Division was slated for this attack, despite being weak in numbers after the shambles of an attack on 3rd May. Out of a theoretical strength of over 12,000 rifles only 2,444 could be put into the field and these were formed into a makeshift brigade and launched into an assault without reserves. They were, however, aided by a barrage of great strength with ten full brigades of artillery joining in. This attack was completely successful, overrunning chemical works, chateau and station and speaks much for the undaunted spirit of the men who made it.

56th (London) Division also carried out an attack last evening. They seem to have achieved complete surprise and in a dashing attack seized the enemy’s front line from south of the road from Arras to Cambrai to north of it.

Today, once more, Bullecourt has received the army’s attentions. Early this morning, around dawn, 91st Brigade of 7th Division went in to try to capture the whole village. The Australian 15th Brigade was to advance and link up with 91st Brigade at the cross-roads north-east of the village and 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division was to take ground round The Crucifix north-west of The Red Patch.

Alas for expectations! Only some of the plan seems to have been achieved. 2nd Battalion, Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) took its objectives as far as the church but 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment, could make no progress in The Red Patch which, as a wag near me was heard to observe is living up to its name. 62nd Division, we have been told, reached The Crucifix, but were then sent tumbling back to their starting positions. The Australians have taken nearly two hundred prisoners but could not quite meet all their objectives though they have made touch with the Queen’s.

Still, tonight the whole of Bullecourt is in British hands except for the accursed Red Patch. It is expected that tonight some of the Australians will be relieved by 58th (2nd/1st London) Division.

Second Lieutenant Shekury [X550/1/81]

Elsewhere the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment were delighted to hear of more well-deserved decorations. Second Lieutenant Cecil Shekury has been awarded the Military Cross and the Military Medal has been awarded to: 9606 Sergeant R Foster (his second); 8883 Sergeant J. Wheeler; 9757 Acting Sergeant A Thorogood; 9297 Lance Sergeant G Gurney; 21055 Corporal T Williams; 19078 Corporal J Hedge; 9873 Private G Harding; 19167 Private C Furr and 9727 Lance Corporal J Brown(1)

Source: X550/3/WD

(1) Shekury would die on 16th April 1918, Gurney on 22nd March 1918 and Hedge on 21st August 1918

Fourth Day of the Battle of Arras

Thursday 12th April 1917

Today the Canadians now down off Vimy Ridge and advancing east, have attacked an annoying enemy position called the Pimple, the only objective not to fall to them on 10th April. All day the battle raged in showers of snow but we have just heard that the position finally fell to the men from the prairies about an hour ago.

Here around the city of Arras the attack begun on 9th continues. Those of us “old hands” who have been reporting on this war from the front line since the beginning of operations on the Somme last July have an uneasy feeling that we have seen this situation before. Often grand set-piece attacks achieve a considerable amount on the first day but then, as our armies try to exploit the initial successes, defences harden, conditions become more difficult and opportunities missed in the first few hours come back to haunt our men over succeeding days. So the scale of successes of 9th April have diminished since then and in some areas, notably the south of the area of operations covered by VII Corps and the Australians, hardly any success has been achieved. Often it is at this point that the battle fragments into a series of strictly local attacks made by groups of men as small as a company or even a platoon rather than a combined, co-ordinated effort by the whole force; pin pricks by tens of men rather than a grand sweep by tens of thousands.

Today VII Corps was given the task of finally making a significant advance. Things began well because 21st Division found that the Hindenburg Line in front of it had been abandoned. In fact this advance meant that 21st Division and 56th (London) Division “joined hands” and 30th Division which had been between them was no longer required and will be replaced by 33rd Division.

Major E S M Poyntz [X550/1/81]

Major Poyntz told me by telephone this evening that 2nd Bedfords are withdrawng to Blaireville. During the last few days the battalion has lost six officers wounded as well as 89 other ranks, including 68 wounded. So ends a very unsatisfactory battle for 30th Division.

Meanwhile 56th Division were able to occupy the villages of Wancourt and Héninel, abandoned by the enemy. Thus VII Corps has reaped the rewards of the good work by VI Corps in the last few days as the Germans in the south fall back to keep the line straight, their compatriots to the north having been driven back by VI Corps.

VI Corps has made no attack today. XVII Corps was given the order to take the village of Roeux and its adjacent chemical works. In order to have time to make a detailed reconnaissance of enemy positions no attack was made today until two hours ago. At 5 pm 9th (Scottish) Division went into the attack. We wait to see what becomes of it.

6th Bedfords, 37th Division, went out of the line today, marching towards Tilloy. My colleague Ian McLeod, the man on the spot, tells me they have suffered 190 casualties, of whom 34 have been killed and 12 are missing in the last four days' fighting at Monchy-le-Preux.

Source: X550/3/WD; information from Ian McLeod

Day One Hundred on the Somme

Sunday 8th October 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

The Canadians have been in action today in cold, stinging rain. They attacked another position on the battlefield called, due to its shape, The Quadrilateral. This particular quadrilateral is north-west of Le Sars. Sadly, the gallant men from the prairies lost two-thirds of their strength and were forced to retire to their starting positions. Regina Trench still holds out against the Canadians.

The fighting from Le Sars in an arc south-east to Lesboeufs begun yesterday continues today. It rained all night and the battlefield is very muddy. 23rd Division have got as far as a point around half a mile north-west of Le Sars. 47th (1st/2nd London) Division managed to enter Snag Trench but were soon evicted again.

Away on the right 56th (London) Division attacked north-east. However, once again their progress was very difficult and we understand that they will retire back to their original line under cover of darkness as there are too few men to hold the positions gained.

Second Lieutenant A H Waddy

7th Bedfords are training behind the lines. Captain Bridcutt tells me that they have been joined by Second Lieutenant H M Woodyer, Second Lieutenant R J Clarke, Second Lieutenant J J Murray and Second Lieutenant A H Waddy. He commented to me: “These are a good stamp of recruit officers”.

Source: X550/8/1

Day Ninety Nine on the Somme

Saturday 7th October 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

Today has seen more activity on the Somme than of late, with attacks in the vicinity of Le Sars, a village which sits astride the main road from Albert to Bapaume, in an arc round to Lesboeufs. 

23rd Division was tasked with the capture of the village of Le Sars. In the face of heavy fire they achieved their objective, so the village joins a growing list of heaps of ruins captured since 1st July. The Division was then ready to advance on an old Romano-Gallic burial mound called the Butte de Warlencourt, which is high enough to dominate the flat ground hereabouts. However, there were insufficient reinforcements for this, so the division dug-in just the other side of Le Sars.

47th Division, whose objective was also the Butte de Warlencourt, attacked Snag Trench but the volume of fire it encountered made any real progress impossible.

41st Division is between Eaucourt-l’Abbaye and Gueudecourt and encountered heavy machine-gun fire as it went forward. Some units managed to pierce Bayonet Trench and, as far as we know, are holding out. Those attacking the east end of Gird Trench were unable to get near it.

12th (Eastern) Division were supposed to attack north-east from Gueudecourt but were late in going forward due to a German barrage on their front lines as they were about to go “over the top”. They struggled forward but were unable to make any headway.

20th (Light) Division are between Gueudecourt and Lesboeufs. They seized a main German defensive line called Rainbow Trench and pressed on to take another trench called Misty Trench. A German counter-attack as the light failed this evening from the direction of Beaulencourt appears to have been defeated.

56th (London) Division, alongside the French on their right flank, attacked north-east from Lesboeufs. Attacks by both the Londoners and the French were able to make little headway and, as evening fell were pushed back to their starting positions.

The last units of 18th (Eastern) Division have been relieved in the unspeakable desolation of mud, bodies and debris known as the Schwaben Redoubt. The dubious honour of continuing the fight here will fall to 39th Division. They were immediately attacked by Germans including two flame-thrower teams but the enemy were repulsed.

Day Eighty Eight on the Somme

Tuesday 26th September 1916: From our Correspondent in the Field

Today the attacks of yesterday have continued, albeit at a more local level. But the principal action today has taken place on the great bastion of German defenses on the Somme, Thiepval Ridge. Without this place being captured any meaningful advance towards Bapaume is impossible, as it dominates the whole battlefield. We have heard from the adjutant of the 7th Bedfords, Captain Bridcutt, that they are likely to have a hand in this struggle, but more of that later.

Another major advance took place today on the Somme, a fine, clear day with temperatures in the low seventies. 56th (London) Division took the northern end of Bouleaux Wood and met up with the French at Combles which they then took, adding another village to the trophy list for this long battle. On their left 21st Division took the village of Gueudecourt along with the dismounted 19th Lancers from 1st Indian Cavalry Division. 

The capture of Gueudecourt is another very important event but your correspondent hopes that readers will forgive him if he now concentrates on events around Thiepval. The attacking forces here, from east to west were: the Canadians between Courcelette and Mouquet Farm, 11th Division around Mouquet Farm and 18th (Eastern) Division at Thiepval itself.

The Canadians attacked just after midday and advanced their line by about 1,000 yards north. This evening they are dug-in, expecting a counter–attack. They are just short of a main German defensive position called they have dubbed Regina Trench after the principal city in Saskatchewan.

11th Division have finally completed the capture of Mouquet Farm, begun by the Australians on 14th August, so to that division belongs the glory of achieving something the Antipodeans could not quite manage. Most of the ruins above ground had been taken but it was the cellars and dug-outs beneath that restricted capture and here a subterranean battle has been fought through the day with the 6th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment (Pioneers) completing the capture and taking over fifty prisoners into the bargain. The rest of the division was less successful as they ran into a very strongly fortified German position called Zollern Redoubt north of Mouquet Farm. The division has suffered very large numbers of casualties owing to this redoubt.

There are three of these redoubts that ring Thiepval from the east (Zollern) to the north. That to the north of Thiepval is called Schwaben Redoubt and that between Schwaben and Zollern is named Stauffen, or Stuff, Redoubt.

The village of Thiepval has held out against attacks ever since 1st July and today it has been attacked again. 18th Division, of course, were one of only two divisions to achieve all their objectives on the opening day of this battle so to them has fallen that enormous task of finally taking Thiepval. 53rd Brigade made an attack from the south and manage to advance as far as Zollern Trench which runs eastwards from Thiepval and this trench they took.

7th Bedfords formed the reserve for the attack by 54th Brigade. This attack was conducted on a very narrow front- just 300 yards, the right flank resting on the road from Thiepval to Authuille, and involved going up the slope south-west of the village. The attack was held up by machine gun fire from the ruins of the château which lay directly in the men’s path, but then a “tank” arrived and managed to keep the machine-gunners heads down long enough for the position to be taken. This evening a large part of the village is in the brigade’s hands with the northern part still holding out. Captain Bridcutt mentioned to me a few minutes ago that this looks as if it will be the Bedfords’ task for tomorrow – the final capture of the village of Thiepval.

Source: X550/8/1

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

Day Eighty Six on the Somme

Sunday 24th September 1916: From our Correspondent in the Field

The adjutant of the 1st Battalion tells me they are at Arrowhead Copse this evening, south-west of Guillemont and not far from their triumph at Falfemont Farm. They will go into action again tomorrow, using the assembly trenches east of Ginchy which they helped to dig on 20th. These are at the small squares immediately south-west of “9” on the map above.

Their task is to help take the village of Morval to the east-north-east. They will seize the second objective after 1st Norfolks have taken the first. 1st Cheshires will then drive on to the third objective, the village itself. The second objective is the sunken road immediately west of Morval shown on the map above.

56th (London) Division failed in an attempt to link up with the French today near Combles. 6th Division repulsed a German attack and an attack by 23rd Division near le Sars was thwarted. 

Source: X550/2/5

Day Seventy Seven on The Somme

A British Mark I Male tank on the Somme - by Ernest Brooks - Imperial War Museum

15th September 1916: From our Correspondent in the Field

Today has been one of those spasms which seem to affect life here at the front. It has been a day of determined attacks across a broad front which I will outline below. Today’s attacks, though, have been very different. In the last few days we had heard rumours of a secret weapon. Well, this weapon is secret no longer, the Germans now know all about it and, one imagines, many wish they were still in ignorance of it.

This weapon is, simply, a huge armoured vehicle. It is over thirty feet long and must weigh in excess of twenty five tons, or so educated guesses have it. It is a rhomboid shape, in other words, a lopsided rectangle and has two boxes (called sponsons I am told) on either side of its body. These carry its armament. On some vehicles it has a naval 6 pounder gun in either “sponson” and in other two machine guns. In an element of whimsy usually lacking in the stern affairs of the military, those with machine guns are known as “females” and those with 6 pounders are “males”. Presumably these metal monsters have, to some eyes, a resemblance to living leviathans. We understand the job of the “males” is to destroy buildings and strongpoints whilst the “females” mow down German infantry and machine gunners.

These leviathans, I have heard them called “land-ships”, are propelled by tracks running round the body. One may see tracks of this type on Holt tractors and they are extremely useful in crawling through mud and over brokes ground where wheeled-vehicles or cavalry could not venture. This, together with their length and weight means they can crush barbed wire for infantry to follow them and cross trenches with ease. The name most commonly in use for them seems to be the strange designation of “tank”. I am told that when they were being crated up and sent over to France, the crates were labelled as water tanks to prevent German spies from cottoning on.

Be that as it may, several dozen of these “tanks” have been employed in today’s attacks. It seems they are prone to breaking down (a facet of their design many owners of automobiles will readily understand), are difficult to steer and can go in the wrong direction because the drivers have only a tiny gap in the armour plate to look through. When they lurch into the enemy, however, they seem to sow panic and despondency wherever they go. At last a method may be at hand which may break the stalemate of this war and finally lead to a break-through.

The left flank of the attack was the action begun last night by 11th Division on Thiepval Ridge which, we understand, succeed in capturing a German stronghold known as the Wonderwork (bottom left in the map above) and a portion of a trench called Hohenzollern Trench.

Another first for today’s attack, besides the “tanks” was the introduction of the Canadian Corps into the battle. The Canadians were given the task of seizing the village of Courcelette. This, with the help of “tanks”, they took in very determined fashion. They seized the ground to the south and had to fight off German counter-attacks from the village itself before seizing that too in the last half hour or so. There will undoubtedly be counter-attacks but if the Canadians can hold the village they have taken they will have begun their campaign in a highly creditable manner.

15th (Scottish) Division attacked the village of Martinpuich. They have seized the village and are now dug-in just to the nort, facing the village of Courcelette.

50th (Northumbrian) Division captured parts of the Starfish Line which runs east from Martinpuich. Unfortunately this line could not be held and the Northumbrians were forced to retire by German artillery.

47th (1st/2nd) London Division had the difficult task of attacking High Wood today, the place which has defied capture for so long. And they achieved their task handsomely! Several hundred prisoners were taken in High Wood and around lunchtime the place was in British hands at last. The troops then moved on. Tonight they are well to the north, dug-in east of Martinpuich and just south of the strongly held Starfish Line which, in this sector, resisted attempts to capture it.

The New Zealand Division attacked with great élan from positions between High Wood and Longueval. They captured their objectives and now occupy ground west and north-west of the village of Flers. 41st Division was to attack the village of Flers itself from the south, beginning from positions north of Delville Wood. This attack included ten “tanks”, the most allotted to any attack today. The village, we understand, has fallen, materially assisted by the “tanks”. 14th Division advanced some way north of Delville Wood.

The Guards Division was given the task of attacking north-west from the north of Ginchy towards Lesboeufs. They were able to make some ground and took a number of prisoners but were unable to take their third objective which lay just south-west of Lesboeufs.

6th Division were given the task of taking the Quadrilateral. In this attack the 8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment was to the fore. At 4.30 this morning the Battalion was in position and went into the attack at 6.20, the attackers being A, C and D Companies whilst B Company bombed down a trench parallel to the attack to prevent flanking fire. It is a matter of extreme regret that the barrage by our guns intended to help the Battalion forward fell so short that it landed on top of them in shell holes south-west of the objective, from which they were preparing to attack. This error on the part of the barrage commander(1) resulted in many of our men being killed. Nevertheless, the survivors gamely went forward, supported by 1st Battalion, The Buffs and later reinforced by 2nd Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment. The Quadrilateral is a well-defended strongpoint, however, and proved impossible to take. The artillery had, once again, failed in its task as all the barbed wire in front of the strongpoint was uncut. “Tanks” were allotted to this attack but failed to turn up. Thus a catalogue of errors over which the Battalion had no influence led to the failure of their attack and the loss, it is feared, of a great number of lives. We understand that thirteen officers have become casualties, six of them dead. We do not yet know the death toll amongst the other ranks.

We understand that one of the “tanks” allotted to the parts of the Division attacking elsewhere fired on our own troops as it went forward. The failure of the 8th Bedfords was part of a greater failure by the division, which failed to get any where near its overall objective, the village of Morval.

On the far right of the attack, near the village of Combles, 56th (London) Division made some progress towards that village and towards Morval but were stopped by uncut barbed wire south of Middle Copse.

Today has seen three villages – Flers, Courcelette and Martinpuich taken by an attack on a wide front. This has been the biggest co-ordinated attack since 1st July and has achieved great things. With the help of the “tanks” the army is hoping for more great things in the days to come.

Source: X550/9/1

(1) XIV Corps Commander, Royal Artillery was Brigadier-General Alexander Ernest Wardrop