Successes All Along the Line

Tuesday 8th October 1918

Today Fourth Army launched attacks in conjunction with Third Army to the north and the French and Americans to the south. The initial attack was by Third Army, which overran the last elements of the Beaurevoir Line in the enemy's hands and achieved an advance of three miles. For the first time since 1914 British troops are within twenty miles of le Cateau, scene of Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien's heroic stand against the triumphant enemy on 26th August of that year.

Fourth Army launches its attack forty minutes after Third Army and all along the line there was early success except that the French failed to take a strongpoint at their junction with our own 6th Division, however, British troops took the position allowing the French to get forward. By this evening there have been advances of up to four miles, with American 30th Division, perhaps, advancing further than anyone else.

4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, part of 63rd (Royal Naval) Division was in support to 188th Brigade which attacked and took the village of Niergnies. It is felt that this will have proved vital in causing the final fall of Cambrai, which is now encircled, Niergnies being south-east of the city. The Division was counter-attacked twice by the enemy with captured British tanks but this was in vain for the Bosches. This evening the division is being relieved and will return to Cantaing.

Source: X550/5/3

More Small Actions

Tuesday 1st October 1918

Today the 1st battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment has moved back to huts at Neuville. They are still close to the action, however. The transport was heavily shelled resulting in the deaths of three horses, with three others being wounded, as well as one man in each category.

Operations at Vendhuile have continued for 2nd Battalion but they are due a relief tonight and a move back to Ronssoy. 4th Battalion duly took their strongpoint, Faubourg-de-Paris which they consolidated before moving back to Cantaing to become battalion in divisional reserve.

Elsewhere the splendid New Zealanders have taken the village of Crevecoeur and other davisions have taken Rumilly. Four other villages have fallen, but at some cost, particularly to the Canadians. The men from the prairies and mountains now have a clear view into Cambrai where it looks as if the enemy are preparing for a fight.

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

The Struggle for Bourlon Wood Continues

Saturday 24th November 1917

The battle for Bourlon Wood continues but we have received no word of any breakthrough - how the hopes of Tuesday night have been dashed! At least for now.

The 8th Bedfords, on the right of the offensive for Bourlon Wood, holding the front line between Noyelles and Cantaing, report that the activity at the wood is continuous. Occasionally the enemy searches Nine Wood, immediately behind the Battalion and has managed to destroy several sections of trench around Battalion Headquarters, nevertheless, casualties have been remarkably light(1)

Source: X550/9/1

(1) In the period 19th to 26th November, while the Battalion was in the front line it lost fourteen men killed in action and three who died of wounds. This shows how successful the attack on 20th November had been and how the Battalion was lucky to be merely an observer of the fight for Bourlon Wood.

Fighting for Bourlon Wood

Friday 23rd November 1917

Today has seen a major attack against Bourlon Wood by the little men of 40th (Bantam) Division - most of whom are below the height of 5 feet 3 inches. The attack does not seem to be making much headway as the enemy has probably reinforced the area.

The adjutant of 8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, in the front line between Noyelles and Cantaing remarked to me on the blower this evening that they had expected a German counter-attack against their position, but that it has not materialised. The enemy shelled the lines heavily from 10.30 this morning and nineteen unlucky men had their leave cancelled as a result. The Battalion could see the attack by the bantams but could make out little detail.

Source: X550/9/1

German Counter-Attacks at Cambrai

Thursday 22nd November 1917

Today has seen more German counter-attacks, which have gained some ground. The 8th Bedfords, between Noyelles and Cantaing and in front of Nine Wood, were frequently shelled during the morning.

At 1 pm the enemy launched a determined attack from Fontaine-Notre-Dame towards Anneux. Towards dusk, at four o’clock a few of the enemy appeared to be approaching the Bedfords from a small wood north of Noyelles and were promptly driven off by machine-gun fire.

Meanwhile, the British line has not really moved. Bourlon Wood still remains in enemy hands.

Source: X550/9/1

Second Day of the Battle of Cambrai

Wednesday 21st November 1917

As the old sweats in the Press Corps predicted yesterday, the enemy evacuated Flesquières over-night leaving the exhausted highlanders to occupy it this morning. All the correspondents here at Montreuil-sur-Mer, headquarters of the British Expeditionary Force, have been frantically trying to get south to be closer to the battlefront, your correspondent among them.

This frantic behaviour by the non-combatants, however, has not been mirrored by similar actions on the field of battle itself. It was widely felt last night that a massive breakthrough was at hand. We have learned that, on 6th Division’s front, the cavalry were even sent forward, though they failed in their attempt to seize the village of Noyelles.

This morning Cantaing was quickly taken but the three assaulting divisions belonging to III Corps, including 6th Division and the 8th Bedfords, were told that their advance had ceased and they were to consolidate. The attack has thus been given into the hands of IV Corps alone, which was given orders to take Bourlon Ridge and Wood.

The fighting here and at the village of Anneux has been bloody. The enemy have been, as usual, very quick to counter-attack and the situation is confused though last we heard Anneux still holds out.

The adjutant of the 8th Bedfords tells us that headquarters moved into the old German support system for the Hindenburg Line during the day, south of the Escaut Canal and north of Ribecourt. A pack convoy brought up water for the battalion, which was most welcome.

This afternoon the Battalion moved into the a line just west of Marcoing, then moved again over Prémy Ridge to a quarry (marked in pink on the map above) under shell-fire and relieved the Guernsey Light Infantry of 29th Division in the new front line, holding a stretch in front of Nine Wood west of Noyelles running north-west towards Cantaing. This front line is, the adjutant informs us, not a trench system but just shellholes and posts quickly dug-in.

Source: X550/9/1