Messines Falls

Wednesday 10th April 1918

As was anticipated yesterday, reserves brought up by general Horne, commander of 1st Army, have stopped the enemy in its tracks at Estaires; the ruins of the town itself have fallen, but the line has been stabilised just beyond them.

However, today the Germans launched another major assault north of Armentieres. Here, it is reckoned, four full enemy divisions threw themselves against one British Division - 19th (Western). It is not surprising that the enemy were able to make gains They have breached about three and a half miles of front and have advanced about two miles. It is most galling that they have retaken the ruins of the Belgian town of Messines, captured in such brilliant fashion last June. 

the enemy has also overrun the ruins of Armentieres and their progress, so far as we can determine it, is shown in yellow on the sketch map above. There is no doubt that things look trying but confidence is still high that the advance can be stalled.

The Next Onslaught is Coming

Monday 8th April 1918

We have had confirmation today that the enemy has been laying down a heavy bombardment on the front line between Armentieres and Festubert (see sketch map above showing the front line); so it seems certain that the next attack will take place here. Unlike the front line round Saint-Quentin this one is of long-standing, having been in place largely since the end of the fighting in 1915. To penetrate this line, held by determined British soldiers, will require a good deal of force and luck.Hence everyone seem to feel that the enemy will fail.

Our county regiment has no battalions in the neighbourhood of this attack. The nearest battalion is the 2nd Battalion near Ypres but it seems unlikely the enemy will attempt a breakthrough here. The 1st Battalion arrived back at the Western Front today, their two trains pulling into Frevent, north of Doullens and west of Arras. 

The 6th Battalion is still being pounded in the front line at Bucquoy, north of Albert. Today two officers, Second Lieutenants Ambridge and Binns have been killed, along with seven other ranks. One man has died of wounds this evening and one officer and nine other ranks have been wounded.

A draft of 52 men has joined the 7th Battalion today, at Gentelles, south-east of Amiens. The adjutant informed me that they seemed to be of good physique; a goof number more will be needed to bring the battalion up to anywhere near full strength.

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/7/1; X550/8/1

Bombardment near Armentieres

Sunday 7th April 1918

Just before noon today the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment marched to Huddleston Camp near Ypres and took over two sections of the battle zone in case the next stage of the German attack takes place there. We are all still in the dark about where and when then next German onslaught will take place, we just all feel certain that they must try to deliver a knockout blow somewhere whilst they have numerical superiority and before the Americans arrive.

STOP PRESS: Just As I was about to file this short report news reached us that heavy artillery barrages are taking place to the north of us, between Armentieres and Festubert, where some of the great battles of 1915 took place. This may well answer the question of when the next enemy attack will take place and where.

Source: X550/3/wd

Day Forty Seven on the Somme

Lieutenant D A Roeber

Wednesday 16th August 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

The 6th Bedfords are saying farewell to the Somme, at least for the present. They have marched to the village of Behencourt and are reported to be heading north to the area around Loos. They will no doubt be exhaling a collective sigh of relief after a rough time of it here.

The 7th Battalion is not far from this town at the moment, being in the front line opposite Armentières..Yesterday night we understand they carried out a dummy raid. This involves using artillery and trench mortars on a section of the enemy front line then simulating a lift in the bombardment to positions further to the rear, as if to impeded enemy reinforcements. At the same time poles are shown above the British front line trenches to simulate men and smoke is released.  This forces the enemy to man his parapet to shoot at the “raiders”. The dummy raid was successful in doing this and the enemy front line trench was then shelled by field artillery and Stokes mortars. The adjutant remarked to me: “It is thought that the enemy suffered severe losses. His artillery reply was feeble”. The Bedfords themselves lost Lieutenant Roeber and three other ranks killed and two other ranks wounded.

Today the French 153rd Division has again advanced between Maurepas and Guillemont. The British 3rd Division attacked east towards and reached the road running south from Guillemont to Hardecourt-au-Bois.

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

Day Thirty Eight on the Somme

Monday 7th August 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

The adjutant of 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, the seventh battalion of the regiment to go into action in this war, that they are now in France, having kanded on 26th July, based behind the lines in the area around the town of Souchez, between Béthune and Arras. They are part of a most interesting Division called 63rd (Royal Naval Division). The Bedfords’ own Brigade (190th) consists of two other battalions from line regiments (7th Royal Fusiliers and 10th Royal Dublin Fusiliers) as well as a Territorial Army battalion, 1st/1st Honourable Artillery Company (an infantry battalion, not an artillery company, despite its name!).

The other two brigades are made up of two battalions of Royal Marine Light Infantry and six battalions made up of surplus sailors who have been turned into infantrymen. These six battalions are named after great British admirals – Drake, Nelson, Hawke, Hood, Anson and Howe. The exploits of Drake and Nelson are well-known. Edward, Baron Hawke (1705-1781) defeated the French at the Battles of Cape Finisterre in 1747 and Quiberon Bay in 1759. Samuel, 1st Viscount Hood (1724-1819) took part in the American and French revolutionary wars, distinguishing himself against the French in defending British possessions in the West Indies. Admiral Richard Howe (1726-1799) defeated the French on the Glorious First of June (1794) and relieved the siege of Gibraltar in 1783. George, 1st Baron Anson (1697-1762) sailed round the World in 1741-1742, oversaw the navy’s actions in an abortive invasion by the French in 1759 and commanded in successful actions against them in Canada and the West Indies. None of these men ever seem to have fought a German enemy!

7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, has re-entered the front line today. It is near Armentières, well to the north of here.

Lieutenant Jacka

Around 4 am this morning the Germans launched another attack on Pozières and quickly defeated and overran the Australians in the front line. However, we understand that a small counter-attack by Lieutenant Jacka VC and seven men inspired his compatriots to stiffen resistance and finally defeat the German attack(1)

Another attack has been made today by 17th (Northern) Division at Delville Wood following their failure on August 4th. This attack was launched at 4.30 this afternoon. Again German artillery stopped the advance whilst it was still in the remains of this accursed wood.

Overnight the German artillery proved positions held by 34th Division, which is in reserve in and around Mametz Wood. 6th Bedfords are part of this division and lost eight other ranks killed and one officer and twenty four other ranks wounded.

Sources: X550/5/3; X550/7/1; X550/8/1

(1) Albert Jacka had won the Victoria Cross at Gallipoli. He commanded 14th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force. The fact that he was awarded a Military Cross for this action, rather than a bar to his Victoria Cross, was one of many sources of Australian discontent both during and after the war. 

The First Day of the Battle of Neuve Chapelle

Wednesday 10th March 1915: Our correspondent tells us that today the British army in France has begun a large scale attack designed to break through the German lines around the village of Neuve Chapelle, north-east of Béthune and south-west of Armentières. This will be the first attack our troops have made since last October and the ill-fated advance east from Ypres. The commanding officer, Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Rawlinson of IV Corps, has issued the following order of the day: “The attack which we are about to undertake is of the first importance to the Allied Cause. The Army and the Nation are watching the results and Sir John French(1) is confident that every individual in IV Corps will do his duty and inflict a crushing defeat  on the German VII Corps which is opposed to us”.

We understand that a huge amount of artillery has been brought in to bombard the German defences north and south of the village, where their front line forms a bulge like the letter C, known as a salient. The area being attacked is around two miles in length and it is believed that so great is our concentration of artillery that there is around one gun for every six yards of enemy front line. It is to be hoped such a violent destructive force will rupture the German lines and allow our men to flood through.

We understand that none of the units local to this county will be taking part in today’s main attack but that the 7th Division, which includes the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, is in reserve. It is also understood that the French were due to launch simultaneous attacks but have now refused to do so, citing British failure to reinforce the line further north at Ypres and allow them to move more of their own men south. Despite this breach of promise by our gallant ally we are sure British pluck and determination will carry the day.

The ground around Neuve Chapelle is as flat as the Fens and, just like it, intersected by drainage ditches. A mile beyond Neuve Chapelle, however is a slight rise, just twenty feet higher than the plain, called the Aubers Ridge. Twenty feet in such a flat landscape is a lot and will allow our men to see over German lines further east.

The initial bombardment of an hour’s duration has been followed by attacks by two brigades of 8^th Division and Gharwal Brigade of our splendid Indian Corps. We understand the village will surely fall during the course of the day. What awaits the men of the 2nd Bedfords as they take up the cudgels tomorrow? This morning they are gathered just south-west of a hamlet called la Flinque and are expected to move south-east towards the village of Mauquissart this afternoon to bring them close to the front line.

The commanding officer of the East Anglian Royal Engineers tells us that at 7 this morning the division to which his unit is attached, 2nd Division, made an attack on the extreme right of the main attack which was delivered at Neuve Chapelle  but owing to the wire in front of German trenches being left intact no ground was gained. The EARE was working with the South Staffordshire Regiment, two sections furnishing blocking parties and the other two in reserve. A second attack is to be made at 2 pm but the same result is expected. The weather is misty with rain now just beginning to fall.

Source: X550/3/wd; Bedfordshire Standard 26th March 1915

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(1) Commander-in-Chief, British Expeditionary Force which, at this stage of the war, comprised 1st and 2nd Armies which comprised five corps between them.

A Fortess Completed

Friday 12th February 1915: the Adjutant of the 2nd Battalion tells us that it is now possible for the first time to move all along the trenches occupied by the Battalion by day. The Battalion is south-west of Fleurbaix, itself south-west of Armentières, at the moment where the ground is almost completely flat. This gives the enemy a clear view making it suicide to be seen out in the open.

Up to this point part of the front line, presently occupied by Captain Shearman with C Company, has been isolated from the remainder, with no safe, deep, trench between them. This, of course, has rendered them very vulnerable to an enemy attack which, fortunately, has not taken place. Now, with better, drier weather, it has been possible to dig a trench of sufficient depth between the two points to give a continuous front line.

Source: X550/3/wd