The Enemy are Withdrawing Again

Thursday 7th November 1918

Today it became clear that the enemy is withdrawing once more. Despite the awful state of the roads The Canadian Corps and XXII Corps, south of Condé, we have learned have pressed him hard. Elsewhere the advance continues at a slower pace due to the state of the ground, but it does progress.  

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.

Encircling Valenciennes

Friday 1st November 1918

After the attack yesterday by 2nd Army, today has seen an attack by Third Army and the Canadian Corps of First Army with the intention of encircling the town of Valenciennes and of outflanking the Schelde. The boxer on the ropes threw a few tired punches and one of them landed, halting the advance after initial success. Nevertheless to quote the song popular with the army "Are we downhearted? No!" The attack will resume tomorrow.

A Great Attack at Amiens

Thursday 8th August 1918

The army has been sensing it for some time but today the great attack on the enemy took place. Ever since the German offensive petered out just short of Amiens in April there has been the feeling that it will be necessary to push him out of the positions he took. Amiens is a vital rail-head. In addition any successful attack here which took the city would effectively split the British and French armies, giving a flank to attack on each formation. 

Today all thoughts of enemy success have been swept away by the allied forces. The attacking forces were drawn from all over the English-speaking World - the British III Corps, north of the River Somme and the Australian Corps and 33rd US Division (Illinois) south of the river. South of the Australians are the men from the mountains and prairies of Canada. 

The initial attack was undertaken by 2nd and 3rd Australian Divisions, Canadian 1st, 2nd and 3rd Divisions and 58th (2nd/1st London) and 18th (Eastern) Divisions. The latter formation, of course, includes the 2nd Bedfords, though they are currently in the rear, recovering from the attack by the Germans two nights ago. In retrospect this attack can be seen as a "spoiling operation", perhaps the Hun had got wind that something was in the offing and decided to try to disrupt it. To some extent they may have succeeded.

Mark V Tank at Bovingdon Tank Museum

Success seems to have been near total with a huge hole punched through the enemy's defences. For the first time for months the cavalry has even been in action - three brigades of the British Cavalry Corps assisting the advance in the Australian and Canadian sectors. Nowadays it also seem to go without saying that tanks have played a major part - both the traditional rhomboid-shaped tanks as well as a quicker vehicle armed with four machine guns and known as a Whippet.

Whippet Tank at Bovingdon Tank Museum

It is always to be difficult to be sure and, it may be imagined that reports coming from the thick of the action can be contradictory, but the advance seems in the centre and south, where the Canadians have been attacking, to have reached nearly two and a half miles. The Australians have also managed a good advanced. We understand that the bulk of the tanks have been assisting the colonial formations and that only a few assisted 18th and 58th Divisions who, anyway, were not expected to advance so far since they are the hinge with the rest of the army which has not, as yet, been ordered to attack. It may be that the attack of two nights ago also played its part in hampering the attack. Be that as it may the divisions still took their first objective.

A significant element of today's attack was the use of the new Royal Air Force, which replaced the Royal Flying Corps in April this year. Around five hundred machines have been involved in reconnaissance, bombing and straffing all day. Thus the attack has involved all arms involved in modern land warfare - infantry, artillery, tanks and aircraft. 

It seems as though the allied armies have taken in excess of 15,000 prisoners, 3,000 or so by the French, who pushed forward to the south of the Canadians(1). Such a number is stupendous - it means that the equivalent of an entire division, with all supporting arms, has been taken. Informed opinion here at the front thinks that a few more days like today may see the beginning of the end for the enemy, especially considering the millions of Americans arriving daily whereas the Germans can have few, if any, reserves of manpower left(2)

(1) Total German casualties on 8th August are reckoned to have been about 30,000 - dead, wounded, missing and captured. Casualties among the attackers were around 10,000.

(2) The Battle of Amiens has come to be seen, in retrospect, as the turning point of the war, the point at which the allies continuously advanced and the enemy continually fell back before them, losing ever more men in the process.

Twentieth Day of the Battle of Arras

Saturday 28th April 1917

Here in the city of Arras we were awakened this morning just before dawn by a roar of artillery as the Great Push resumed. 12th (Eastern) Division of VI Corps was given the task of advancing a short way to ensure that the northern flank of the bulge, or salient, around Monchy-le-Preux was reduced. The results were mixed, some advances being made but some attacking units taking dreadful casualties.

On the XVII Corps front, 34th Division was given the unenviable task of capturing Roeux, taken and then largely lost again by 51st (Highland) Division on Saint George’s Day. Some progress was made and parts of the village entered but a heavy counter-attack drove parts of the division back to its starting lines again. So Roeux, as I write this, still appears to be in enemy hands. This village is acquiring as bloody a name as Thiepval, Guillemont and Ovillers did last summer on the Somme.

37th Division also attacked yesterday, despite the fact that some Battalions had been reduced fro a theoretical strength of around one thousand to about two hundred by the severe fighting a few days ago. The target was again Greenland Hill, between Roeux and Gavrelle. The adjutant of 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, has wired me reporting that they almost gained their objective, but were hit in the flank by fire from the chemical works outside Roeux. From other sources we understand that the Bedfords were probably a long way from their objective, having mistaken a trench about two hundred yards from their starting point for the trench in front of their true objective which lay three hundred yards beyond that. 63rd Brigade of this Division actually managed a breakthrough just west of Fresnes but steady losses from German counter-attacks has forced them to fall back to the road between Gavrelle and Plouvain. Meanwhile 111th Brigade managed to advance its line by about 800 yards up to the Gavrelle to Plouvain road. My colleague Ian McLeod, who is with the 6th Battalion, tells me that the unit has lost 294 men in the attacks at Greenland Hill of whom 51 are dead and 57 missing. In total this month the Battalion has lost so many men that only 58 are fit for duty.

Attacks have also been made north of Arras by 1st Army at Oppy and Arleux. 188th Brigade of 63rd (Royal Naval) Division was given the task of forming a defensive flank for the attack of 2nd Division further north.  4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, was placed under the orders of 188th Brigade but did not go into action, despite the failure of the Brigade to achieve its objectives.

This failure had a serious impact on 2nd Division which had its right flank uncovered (“in the air” in military parlance) as it made its attack. The Division was already seriously under strength - around 3,500 men instead of a full strength figure in excess of 12,000. The Division was to capture the shattered remains of Oppy Wood and the village of Oppy itself beyond it. The attack began from forming up tapes laid by 1st Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers (now known officially as 483rd Field Company, Royal Engineers). 6th Brigade took the wood but were repulsed from the village and then from the wood as well. 5th Brigade made some progress north of the wood and the village. As I write this we believe that both 63rd and 2nd Divisions are to attack again in the next few minutes.

North of these two British divisions is the Canadian Corps which, fresh from its magnificent capture of Vimy Ridge, was given the task of taking the village of Arleux. They succeeded magnificently in their task and the village is now in their hands. These men from the prairies, mountains and wastes of Canada must be regarded as amongst the very best in the World.

Away from the fighting, we have heard that 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment has arrived at the Arras front. They are billeted in what the adjutant described as “Hun trenches” near Neuville-Vitasse and this evening expect to move up to the front line near Chérisy.

Sources: X550/5/3; X550/8/1; WW1/WD3; information from Ian McLeod

Second Day of the Battle of Arras

Tuesday 10th April 1917

Yesterday saw a day of great success for the British Army and for the Canadian Corps. Some units advanced as far as three and a half miles. Yet, as always, one hopes for the very best and the complete rupture of the enemy’s defences just eluded our forces’ grasp.

So it is that today hopes were high that this definitive breakthrough might be achieved. If only the enemy could be pressed hard all day and at all points it was felt that they must surely give way somewhere. Thus, north of the River Scarpe XVII Corps 4th, 34th and 51st Divisions were urged to make good all the final objectives of yesterday. 4th Division were, in places, already at these objectives at the beginning of the day.The other two divisions still had to take a feature known as the Point du Jour. In this 34th Division has been largely successful. The Highlanders, however, have not been so successful and your correspondent understands, from officers whom he knew when the division was in Bedford in the early days of the war, that staff work has been faulty to say the least(1). The officers concerned were angry that this reflects badly on the men who have been, they said “resilient and splendid”.

We understand that some consideration was given to sending the cavalry forward to take a prominent rise known as Greenland Hill as well as the village of Plouvain halfa mile east of it – both decidedly in the enemy rear areas where chaos might have been wreaked. In the event this was not put into action because probing attacks sent out by 4th Division met with withering machine gun fire. We fear that the hour for any breakthrough in this sector has now passed.

A similar situation, it seems, also applies south of the Scarpe. VI Corps lies immediately south of the river. We understand that the corps commander Lieutenant-General Haldane ordered each of his divisional headquarters to move forward closer to their troops where he felt they could exercise greater, and speedier, control of the battle.

37th Division, it will be remembered, had been unable to make any attack yesterday and 12th and 15th Divisions failed to take all their objectives and only then would 37th Division have moved through them to make its own attack. Today the division has gone forward, the 6th Bedfords to the fore. 111th Brigade was ordered to take the village of Monchy-le-Preux. 63rd Brigade was ordered to gain as much ground as possible between Monchy and the River Scarpe, which it did quite well. 111th Brigade failed in its attack, ending 500 yards west of the village. 112th Brigade on their right flank went forward and achieved a splendid result, taking all their objectives. The 6th Bedfords and 8th East Lancashires were the assaulting battalions. The Lancastrians reached a point a mile east of the Wancourt-Feuchy Line. But they were outdone by the Bedfords who got within six hundred yards of the village of Guemappe. 3rd and 12th Divisions were also successful; in their attacks, taking all the objectives they had been given yesterday.

VII Corps had been the least successful corps yesterday. So it has been again today. 56th Division managed to clear the enemy out if the Hindenburg Line but could not even get close to the Wancourt-Feuchy Line. 14th Division did manage to take its allotted part of the line but 30th Division could make no advance at all.

The 2nd Bedfords, part, of course, of 30th Brigade, had a quiet morning but at 1 pm received orders for two companies to attack the Hindenburg Line at 4 pm. This order was cancelled. Then came good news that British cavalry was in Héninel. In the last few minutes this has been found to be false.

So today has been one of disappointment. Some things have been achieved, particularly north of the river, but nowhere near what had been hoped. One has seen this before with battles in this war, notably Neuve-Chapelle and some of the attacks on the Somme: things go well on the first day, then resistance hardens and no clear breakthrough is made. Of course, things have been very tough today, it has been cold and and times men have had to attack the elements as well as the enemy, stumbling forward through squalls of snow. We all hope for better things in the coming days.

Sources: X550/3/WD; X550/7/1

(1) 154th Brigade believed it was already at its objective rather than some way short, as was the case. This muddle was not sorted out until 2 pm and all attacks that day failed in the face of defenders who had had plenty of time to prepare.

Stunning Breakthrough at Arras

Easter Monday 9th April 1917

Correspondents at the Front are receiving news of a stunning victory. The British Army attacked east from Arras with three corps (VI, VII and XVII). Meanwhile the Canadian Corps has achieved a magnificent triumph in driving the Germans from Vimy Ridge, north of Arras and it is here we will begin.

Readers may remember that 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, part of 5^th Division, is at Cambligneul a few miles west of Vimy, acting as reserve to the Canadians. They were not needed in today’s battle but the commanding officer has passed on his intelligence of what occurred today. It seems that there were a series of huge mines buried under the German trenches on top of the ridge which were blown just before the Canadians went over the top. The Canadians then stormed into the German front line and well beyond. Almost along the whole line they achieved complete success. They now have possession of the high ground that overlooks not just the German defences but well beyond into the rear areas. The Canadians have consistently proved themselves élite troops in this war, the best of the colonial forces in France and on a par with the very best the Mother Country has to offer. This victory will only add to their laurels.

The attacks launched by the British divisions today ran in an arc from Croisilles in the south up to Roclincourt in the north. In the south VII Corps launched attacks with (south to north) 21st, 30th, 56th and 14th Divisions. The 2nd Bedfords form a part of 30th Division and were in support to the assaulting battalions, more of their experiences will be related after a brief review of what took place across ther whole front.

Each of the assaulting divisions gained considerable ground. 21st Division were on the right flank of the British attack. They were not to attack until it was clear that the attack by VI to the north had been successful. Thus it was not until just before four o’clock this afternoon that they went forward. However, the division was only able to capture about two-thirds of the ground in front of its first objective due to heavy fire.

30th Division also had to wait until afternoon to attack, though the Bedfords, as we will see, had an important task to carry out in the early hours of the morning, in which they were successful. 89th Brigade was given the task of taking the remains of the village of Héninel. They passed through Saint-Martin-sur-Cojeul about 3.30 pm but could get no further in the face of unbroken barbed wire and heavy machine gun fire. The two assaulting battalions of the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment suffered around two hundred casualties each. 21st Brigade of this division attacked at 11.30 this morning but also failed, for the same reasons. Today has been frustrating and discouraging for a division used to success.

Immediately north, 56th (1st London) Division made their attack at 7.45 this morning, tasked with taking Neuville-Vitasse and the Hindenburg Line beyond. They succeeded brilliantly in taking the village in the first hour of the attack and managed to take the front line trench of the Hindenburg Line – a fine achievement capturing 2,000 yards and over six hundred prisoners.

The left-hand division of VII Corps is 14th (Light) Division. Their task was, of course, to get into the Hindenburg Line, but a particular difficulty would be a large German defensive system Headquarters have dubbed The Harp, due to its shape. The division had to take the southern third of this fortification. They also had to tackle a position known as Telegraph Hill. With the aid of tanks the division took its objectives in decisive fashion, some reports suggesting that the defenders seemed demoralised, certainly not up to the standard of the enemy’s usual troops.

Next in the line going north is VI Corps. Here again great success attended the day’s efforts. 3rd Division was given the task of sweeping through the Hindeburg Line and on to the supporting trenches beyond, known as the Wancourt-Feuchy Line. They would have to take the northern two-thirds of The Harp and the village of Tilloy-lès-Moufflaines. The attack began at 5.30 this morning and both Harp and Tilloy were taken. It seems that, as this is written, the division is still advancing on the Wancourt-Feuchy Line.

12th (Eastern) Division had been sheltering in caves and tunnels, reportedly they could go from the crypt of the cathedral in Arras to the German front line entirely underground! One of their objectives, shared with 15th Division, on the left, was the capture of Observation Ridge, behind which German artillery was massed. This ridge did not fall according to the timetable, holding out for three hours longer than expected, but it did fall. The German artillery behind it was ripe for the taking and over thirty pieces were captured. Unfortunately, however, the Wancourt-Feuchy Line could not be breached. It seems harsh to cavil at this failure given all that this division achieved, but it did mean that a complete breakthrough into the open country beyond could not take place. Still, all attacks in this war expect great things and have to settle for what they can get(1).

37th Division was ordered to take the villages of Guemappe and Monchy-le-Preux once 12th and 15th Division took their objectives. One of the assaulting battalions was 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. However, it did no assaulting today as the other two divisions had not managed to take all their objectives. In common with the rest of the division the Battalion simply dug in as far forward as it could get, in this case the road running north-south through Feuchy Chapel.

The 15th (Scottish) Division advance captured more German artillery pieces on the other side of Observation Ridge. It also took the village of Feuchy on the south bank of the River Scarpe and forward patrols entered Fampoux on the north bank. The Scots (of two divisions) achieved more, perhaps, than any others on a day of some success for most attacking units. VI Corps in all has advanced, on average, two miles, it is reckoned.

The northern corps in this attack was XVII Corps. On the left of one Scots Division, 15th, was another, 9th. It has been in the neighbourhood of Arras since the beginning of December last year. One might think these Scots in competition with their compatriots, so great was their advance. They took the villages of Saint-Laurent-Blangy and Athies and all their objectives along with two thousand prisoners!

4th Division were given the task of moving through 9th Division to assault the final objective for the army today. Many Germans, it is reported, ran forward and surrendered rather than fight. If this is the shape of things to come this war might be over before the Americans arrive! The village of Fampoux, entered by patrols of 9th Division, was taken. The advance of 15th and 4th Divisions has been prodigious. It is believed the advance, three and a half miles is the greatest made in one day by anyone since trench warfare set in back in the autumn of 1914.

34th Division also advanced a long way, in the face of largely ineffective opposition. It is believed that some positions were abandoned wholesale by their terrified opponents. Only on the left, 103rd Brigade, was total success not achieved and even here good progress has been made.

The third Scottish formation attacking today are our old friends the 51st (Highland) Division, which spent the first months of the war in Bedford. They form the left flank of the British attack, and have the triumphant Canadians on their left. They encountered stiffer resistance than their fellow countrymen. As a result, it is reported that they have suffered many casualties. It has also failed to gain its final objectives, but has advanced a good distance, and taken seven hundred prisoners to boot, which is not too shabby!(2)

Now to return to the actions of the 2nd Bedfords. They had been given the job of taking the village of Saint-Martin-sur-Cojeul, north-east of Hénin-sur-Cojeul. At 1.30 this morning D Company under Second Lieutenant J P Pitts attacked the village. At the same time C Company under Captain R E Oakley pushed forward on the flanks and established posts. After D Company had cleared Saint-Martin, Second Lieutenant A F Aldridge of C Company established a post holding one Platoon. This attack, in pitch darkness resulted in three men wounded and the capture of a number of prisoners of the 86th Reserve Infantry Regiment.

The remainder of the Battalion’s morning was quiet and was spent in fitting and resting. When the 89th Brigade attack began at 2 o’clock this afternoon A and D Companies were supporting 19th Battalion, King’s (Liverpool) Regiment south of the River Cojeul. B Company supported 19th and 20th King’s north of the river. C Company was in posts at Saint-Martin and in reserve.

Though the enemy put up a fairly strong barrage in Hénin-sur-Cojeul, B Company avoided casualties by keeping to the left of the village. A and D Companies crossed the river 500 yards west of Hénin. The attack, as mentioned above, was held up by uncut wire and by machine gun fire, also owing to 21st Brigade on the left being held up. In the end B and D Companies dug in as shown in blue on the map above with A Company in advance on the right flank as shown by the blue cross.

Source: X550/3/WD

(1) Sir Edmund Allenby, Commander-in-Chief of Third Army reportedly said that they had aimed for the sky, but hit the ceiling.

(2) Total prisoners-of-war taken that day were reportedly about 5,600.

The Regiment at Easter

Easter Sunday 8th April 1917

The 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment have spent Easter Sunday on the move. On Saturday they moved from Allouagne, west of Béthune to Bruay-la-Buissiere and this evening they have arrived in Cambligneul between Béthune and Arras. Here they are acting as part of a reserve to the Canadian Corps a few miles away to the east on Vimy Ridge. Major R le Huquet has joined the battalion as second-in-command.

The 2nd Battalion, meanwhile, had an exciting night. About 2.15 am the enemy tried to rush one of their advanced posts just west of the village of Saint-Martin-sur-Cojeul, shown by the blue cross on the map above, but were repulsed.Tonight, the adjutant reports, the commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel H S Poyntz is not at all well and will probably have to go to hospital. His brother is currently away from the Battalion, so Captain R O Wynne will assume command(1).

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

(1) This illness occurred a few hours before the Battalion went into action in the opening hours of the Battle of Arras