Valenciennes Falls

Saturday 2nd November 1918

As your correspondent predicted, yesterday's attack by Third Army and the Canadian Corps of First Army continued today and has been a triumphant success. The enemy evacuated the town of Valenciennes and has abandoned the line of the Schelde. This complete success comes despite the setbacks of yesterday and, I hear, has cause meticulous planning for an assault in a few days time to be wasted as the enemy have already abandoned the positions which were to be attacked! As a junior officer quipped to me earlier today - "Tally ho!"

We hear today of another Franco-American attack on the Meuse-Argonne Front which began yesterday. The Americans, we are told were completely successful, far out-distancing their French allies and advancing six miles.

Cambrai Falls

Wednesday 9th October 1918

The city of Cambrai, so nearly liberated in November last year has finally been yielded up by the enemy after just over four years of occupation. The German troops left managed to sneak out during the night though almost entirely surrounded. At least, this way, a potentially very costly fight has been avoided. Sadly the centre of the city and much of the suburbs has been almost totally destroyed but, as one local has been reported as saying, sadly shaking his head, "At least they are our ruins now".

The capture of Cambrai has not caused any pause in the advance.  Resistance was fierce at times yesterday, with a number of enemy counter-attacks utilising tanks they had captured from our armies in weeks and months past. All these were beaten off and today there have been none to speak of. Cavalrymen have even been in action on the army's left, or northern, flank where no barbed wire has impeded their progress. The Canadian Cavalry Brigade mounted a successful charge south of Cambrai and took the village of Reumont only four miles or so from le Cateau.

First Army also advanced today and all three British and Imperial armies have achieved stunning advances. Few can now doubt that the end of German resistance is near. This evening it has been announced that the Prime Minister, Mr Lloyd-George has sent a length congratulatory telegram to Field Marshal Haig: "I have just heard from Marshal Foch of the brilliant victory won buy the First, Third and Fourth Armies and I wish to express to yourself, Generals Horne, Byng and Rawlinson and all the officers and men under your command my sincerest congratulations on the great and significant success which the British Armies, with their American brothers in arms have gained during the two past days. The courage and tenacity with which the troops of the Empire, after withstanding the terrific enemy onslaught of the spring of this year, have again resumed the offensive with such decisive results is the greatest chapter in our island history. The smashing of the great defensive system erected by the enemy in the west and claimed by him to be impregnable is a feat of which we are justly proud and for which the Empire will always be grateful".

Stunning Success at the Saint-Quentin Canal

Sunday 29th September 1918

We have heard that 46th (North Midland) Division has, today, achieved something truly remarkable. This body of troops, which spent part of its time in Luton before going over to France, has not had a good reputation since its failure to make progress on the first day of the Battle of the Somme resulted in the sacking of its commanding officer, major-General Montagu-Stuart Wortley. Today that bad reputation has been wiped away. The division was given the task of crossing the Saint-Quentin Canal in small boats. The canal is thirty-five feet wide and defended by belts of barbed wire both on the banks and in the water. Nevertheless, the men of 137th Brigade not only crossed but stormed the enemy trenches, scattering them. The bridge at Riqueval has been seized intact and the village of Belleglise captured. 32nd Division then advanced through the victorious Midlanders and drove the enemy still further back. The much vaunted Hindenburg Line, our enemy's greatest hope for continuing the war, has been breached.

On their left the Americans of 27th and 30th Divisions - men from New York and from North and South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. 27th Division has struggled but 30th Division has done better and the Australians, advancing through the Americans have carried on an advance which has taken Bellicourt. 

Further north Third Army has continued its attacks with the redoubtable Kiwis being particularly successful. Advances have been made all along the line and The Canadians, we hear, are only a mile from the town of Cambrai. 

In the far north operations have continued around Ypres. Messines, Terhand and Dadizeele have all fallen. Everywhere our foe seems to be in retreat. 

In all of this advance on a very broad front the Bedfordshire Regiment has played its part. The 1st Battalion has made progress at minimal cost and 2nd Battalion has returned to the fray at Ronssoy, once more, fighting in Ronssoy Wood.

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/3/wd

The Bedfords in Action Again

Friday 27th September 1918

Two of the three battalions of the Bedfordshire Regiment on the Western Front have been in action today as today has been another all-out effort by First and Third Armies. The Canadians, on the left flank have attacked Bourlon on the old Cambrai battlefield from last November and December and word has just reached us that Bourlon has, indeed, fallen. 11th Division and 56th Division have also captured a number of villages. At its greatest extent the advance has been five miles today.

South of this the battlefield is riven with countless old trenches and gives much better defensive possibilities. Thus 52nd Division has struggled and halted its advance west of Anneux. 63rd (Royal Naval) Division includes the 4th Bedfords. It passed through 52nd Division and attacked Anneux and Graincourt. The Bedfords, like the other attacking troops today had to cross the Canal du Nord (a dry ditch, in effect as the canal was still being built when the war started). They succeeded in this and captured their objective and are now in the position shown above, just west of Graincourt (see the map above) where they are acting as support. The rest of the division finally managed to take the two villages, the second objective, early this evening. 57th Division should now be passing through to attack the third objective, though darkness is falling.

To the south Guards Division, 3rd Division and 62nd Division have all taken ruined villages and have mostly taken their second objectives. 5th Division made an attack south-east of Cambrai towards Villers-Plouich. the 1st Bedfords' objective is shown on the map below and they took it by lunchtime. This afternoon, however, a strong attack caused the battalion to withdraw to the sunken road and evacuate Beaucamps - 2 officers and 19 other ranks have been killed, 6 officers and 96 other ranks wounded, including Captain Riddell, the adjutant. Twenty men are missing tonight.

The only sad note has been the attack by the American 106th Regiment. The Australian general Monash, in command of IX Corps decided to push these troops into a position overlooking the Saint-Quentin Canal but, unfortunately he underestimated the strength of the defences and the Americans could make to headway. So once again, the offensive has not been entirely successful but he who expects all objectives to be gained in this war lives in a fool's paradise and very significant gains have been made, gains which, only three months ago would have been hailed as miraculous. 

Yesterday, well to the south the French and the Americans opened an attack either side of the Argonne Forest. The Americans did well, advancing between two and four miles, though the French did not manage so great an advance progress has been satisfactory and we hear that Montfaucon, at 1,200 feet above sea-level, has fallen to the Americans today. This is very different country to Picardie and Flanders, being hilly and bedecked with thick forest, so any advance is made with great effort.

Almost everywhere on the Western Front the allies are moving forward.

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/5/3

American Offensive Ends

Friday 13th September 1918

So successful has the Franco-American attack been at Saint-Mihiel, south-east of Verdun, that tonight it is over, all objectives achieved. As mentioned yesterday this will be a huge psychological blow to the enemy, as it is evident that the Americans, though callow, are spirited and aggressive. Their huge numbers alone suggested to all that the Germans were likely to lose the war; the fact that they have not only numbers but fighting quality means that defeat is now certain. The enemy had held this salient, or narrow area of land thrust into the allied lines, at Saint-Mihiel for almost exactly four years, since the heady days of their initial successes in this war. Now they have lost it.

American Success at Saint-Mihiel

Thursday 12th September 1918

Today has seen a whole series of attacks made by the British Expeditionary Force, the Americans and the French. The British IV, V and VI Corps of 3rd Army have all been in action and have taken the villages of Havrincourt and Trescault, a few miles south-west of Cambrai. Despite Sir Douglas Haig's remarks of yesterday the enemy has fought tenaciously today and has launched a series of counter-attacks this evening, all of which have been beaten off and the army has made an advance of about a mile on a five mile front.

Further south the Americans, just after midnight, launched a powerful attack at Saint-Mihiel, south-east of Verdun, a German position they have held continuously since September 1914. The Americans, followed by the French, took all their objectives by this afternoon and are said to have captured a further 16,000 prisoners and more than 400 guns. This triumph has shown the enemy that this new army can achieve anything to which it sets its mind and must surely be the last nail in the coffin of German militarism.

Renewing Acquaintance

Tuesday 13th August 1918

Things continue to be relatively quiet here just west of Albert. Artillery fires and people scurry about but there has been no attack here today, though all the signs are that there will be one soon. For the last two days the American 1st Battalion, 129th US Regiment has been attached to the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. This unit is part of 66th Infantry Brigade, 66th Division and was raised in the state of Illinois. 

Back in June elements of 129th regiment were trained by the training cadre made up from old 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, all of whom have now joined 2nd Battalion. It can thus be imagined that there has been a general degree of happiness at friendships being resumed between the old 7th Battalion cadre and the men of the 129th. The Americans have performed well in the recent fighting and the two units, it is fair to say, are looking forward to going into action together.

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

Out of the Frying Pan ...

Monday 24th June 1918

1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment today moved back from the front line near Merville to reserve at Villorba Camp. Normally this would be a cause for celebration. Today, however, the men might be forgiven for wishing themselves back in the front line, where, in the last few days, things have been much quieter than of late. 

As the battalion reached the camp the enemy shelled it with gas shells. The Brigadier of 15th Brigade and his staff captain both received a good dose of the gas as well as many other ranks. 

The cadre of 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, training the American 120th Infantry Regiment reports a great shortage of American officers. Given this fact the Americans are likely to seek leadership advice from British soldiers, experienced from long years of this war.

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/7/1 

Instructing the Instructors

Wednesday 19th June 1918

The adjutant of the training cadre of the 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment let us know today that an important point in the training of the 3rd Battalion, American 120th Infantry Regiment has been reached. The American instructors, on whom the Bedfords have been expending the majority of their time, have been deemed sufficiently competent to pass on their knowledge to their fellows.

Source: X550/7/1

6th Battalion's Americans Arrive

Tuesday 4th June 1918

The 120th Infantry Regiment has finally arrived with the training cadre of 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. An American Infantry Regiment consists of three battalions, each of four companies for a theoretical strength of 3,720 and so is the strength of a British Brigade. This is a lot of men for a training cadre of just over fifty men to deal with. The Bedfords will train two battalions (1st and 2nd) with just twenty men with each battalion. To make matters a little more challenging the Americans are not all at Nielles, nearArdres (itself near Calais) where the Bedfords are based: 1st battalion is a Zutkerque, about two miles east and 2nd Battalion at la Montoire (half way between the two).

Source: X550/7/1

The Americans Arrive

Sunday 2nd June 1918

Yesterday we heard from the cadre of 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, waiting for its Americans to arrive for training. Major J T Coe, the adjutant of the other battalion reduced to a training cadre, 7th, today informed me that they had been joined by Companies H, I and K of 129th Infantry Regiment of 33rd Division for training at Rogeant, south-west of Abbeville(1)

Source: X550/8/1

(1) 129th Infantry Regiment was part of the Illinois National Guard. The division's first action was, appropriately enough, on 4th July at Hamel on the old Somme battlefield, fighting alongside British and Empire troops, though 129th Regiment did not see action that day. 

The Trainers for the Americans

Tuesday 21st May 1918

Today we learned the officers of the 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment comprising the training staff for the Americans. Lieutenant-Colonel F. H. Edwards M.C. will be commanding officer.His staff will comprise Acting Captain D.M.Saunders (adjutant) Captain J. A. M. Hislop (Quartermaster), Captain A. W. Elliott M. C., Acting Captain O. E. Hobson, Lieutenants D. J. Greig (Lewis Gun Officer), and C. C. Clifford (Intelligence Officer) and Second Lieutenants W. Johnson, A. E. Iliffe  E. E. Ashby, (Signals Officer) as well as Regimental Sergeant Major, four Company Sergeant Majors, a Company Quartermaster Sergeant and forty eight other ranks. They proceeded to Mondricourt and caught a train to Audruicq.

Source: X550/7/1

Bedfordshire Becomes Hertfordshire

Monday 20th May 1918

This evening the officers of the 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment are to have a farewell dinner. No speeches are planned. Tomorrow a proportion of the officers and most of the men will travel to be absorbed by 1st/1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment whilst a few officers and men will form a small cadre, still known as 6th Bedfords, to train American units new to France

Source: X550/7/1

Training Americans

Saturday 18th May 1918

A few days ago we heard that 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, was to be disbanded and the personnel transferred to 1st/1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment. Now it seems a small number of men is to be kept on forming what is called, in military parlance, a cadre. This cadre will be training one of the American battalions newly arrived in France.

Source: X550/7/1

6th Battalion at Rettermoy Farm

Tuesday 7th May 1918

We have not heard much for a while about 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. The adjutant tells us that today it relieved the 13th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers in the front line south-west of Bucquoy between Gommecourt and Achiet-le-Grand north of Albert. Battalion Headquarters is at Rettermoy Farm (in the top left-hand corner of the map above). The line is reported as "very quiet", nevertheless four other ranks were wounded during the relief and a German prisoner was captured! An officer from the American army has been attached to the battalion for three days of instruction(1)

Source: X550/7/1

(1) Not surprisingly the Americans had a steep learning curve, especially given the tiny size of their pre-war army. It was said in some quarters that the US troops preferred to listen to British or French non-commissioned officers if posted adjacent to them, rather than their own officers, whom they considered ignorant, but this may be exaggerated.

New MO

Lieutenant Silliman MORC [X550/1/81]

Wednesday 30th January 1918

2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire has relieved the 338th French Regiment east of Viry-Noureuil to the south of Saint-Quentin. Today their longstanding Medical Officer, Lieutenant G S Silliman of the American Red Cross has left them to join 5th Army Artillery School, being replaced by Captain H B Jones of the Royal Army Medical Corps.

Source: X550/3/wd