4th Battalion Back in the Line

Saturday 26th May 1917

Last night 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, went back into the front line north of Gavrelle, which place they helped to take back on 23rd April. Their rough position is shown in red on the map above. They have been joined today by two new officers, Lieutenant Webb and Lieutenant Beck from base.

Source: X550/5/6

Congratulations

Monday 30th April 1917

The attacks around Arras have again ended for the time being allowing another drawing in of breath by troops who are now very tired after some gruelling fighting.

The adjutant of the 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, tells us that 1st Army, to which 63rd (Royal Naval) Division belongs has received a telegram from the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Douglas Haig: “My congratulations to you and the troops engaged on the good work done yesterday especially in the capture of Gavrelle”. Clearly the telegram was sent on 24th April but has only just been read to the troops after their bitter engagements near Oppy over the last two days.

Brigadier-General W H E Finch yesterday sent a rather longer message to the men of his Brigade, 190th: “I wish to express to the Officers, N.C.Os. and men of the Brigade my high appreciation of the work they have carried out during the last tour of duty in the trenches. In spite of the very heavy casualties units have sustained, objectives have not only been gained but held, thus enabling the Brigade to retain the high reputation which it already holds. I trust C.Os. will acquaint all ranks of the above, and that the past fourteen days may serve as a fresh incentive to the training of the men of the Brigade”.

Source: X550/5/3

Sixteenth Day of the Battle of Arras

Tuesday 24th April 1917

Late last evening VII Corps once more tried to take its first objectives. 33rd Division began its attack yesterday at around thirty minutes after six o’clock in the evening. Here, again, no progress was made, due to strong enemy defences and despite great courage and equally great casualties. At around the same time 30th Division tried a second attack which, again, was largely unsuccessful, though a foot-hold in the enemy’s front line was achieved by 18th Battalion, Manchester Regiment. A second attack by 50th (Northumbrian) Division resulted, quite unexpectedly given the fortunes of VII Corps yesterday, with success. Quite large numbers of the enemy were taken prisoner and the objective, a copse east of Wancourt Tower, was seized and held.

Daylight this morning has shown that VII Corps achieved more than the success by 50th Division yesterday as overnight the enemy had withdrawn down-slope to the line of the road from Chérisy to Croisilles and the Tommies of VII Corps gratefully advanced. 33rd Division was able to reach the road from Fontaine-les-Croisilles to Saint-Martin crossed the enemy second line. There they found parties of men of 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment and 2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, who had reached this point yesterday and had been given up for lost when the erst of the division fell back. Their heroism must have played a large part in deciding the enemy’s retreat. 30th Division was finally able to occupy its first objective of yesterday and 50th Division was able to advance a little further than yesterday. Thus, over the two days, we are told that the corps managed an advance of roughly  a mile at the furthest point and took around eighteen hundred prisoners. How the picture can change from one day to another!

On the VI Corps front 15th (Scottish) Division began a limited, renewed attack around six o’clock last evening. One Battalion, however, 10th/11th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry, did not receive correct orders and advanced too far and alone, taking many casualties. They held out for a while but were eventually forced to fall back. Generally, however, the division achieved its first objective. 29th Division’s second attack last evening made limited progress and it was relieved by 3rd Division overnight. 17th (Northern) Division’s second attack last evening was as unsuccessful as its first had been yesterday morning. It has attacked again today and won a little ground but is still short of its first objective - the Blue Line.

51st (Highland) Division has replaced some of the battalions worn out by fighting yesterday by some from 34th Division. The division’s position is roughly along the road from Roeux to Gavrelle and yesterday they managed an advance of about a thousand yards, taking 350 prisoners.

63rd (Royal Naval) Division has had to face more counter-attacks today from its position in Gavrelle. A terrific bombardment of the village began about noon and the following attack was repulsed with what must have been equally terrific loss amongst the enemy.

On the surface it appears as if the army has suffered very high casualties, perhaps around eight thousand(1) without huge success. However, objectives have largely been taken and, I think it is fair to say, no one expected a clean breakthrough. The enemy is well aware that a major offensive is under way so no element of surprise exists and the Germans are alert to any movement. The feeling is that the men have done as well as can be expected in the circumstances.

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

The Battle of Arras Begins Again

Monday 23rd April 1917 - Saint George’s Day

After a dormant period lasting eight days the Battle of Arras sprang into life once more today. There have been small, isolated flare-ups during those eight days but today saw the beginning of the second phase of operations with a concerted and widespread attack. Phase One saw VI, VII and XVII Corps making the running, today XIII to the north also joined in the attack. We here in Arras are hearing the fighting today has been gruelling(1)

The day began with a heavy mist from ground which was very wet after snow and rain over the preceding weeks. As the day developed it turned into a bright Spring day, whose beauty belied the grim struggle going on all around. The various objectives were grouped into two lines - the first known as the Blue Line and the second, east of that, known as the Red Line.

VII Corps was instructed to attack downhill towards the River Sensée between Vis-en-Artois and Bullecourt. 33rd Division, on the right flank, gained some ground but could not take all their objectives because the barbed wire was uncut. On their left flank 30th Division, still smarting from its lack of success in the opening phase of the battle, advanced on high ground overlooking the village of Chérisy. The 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, played no part in this attack, as it was in reserve around Neuville-Vitasse. Once again their attack was unsuccessful because enemy artillery rained down on them causing huge casualties. 50th (Norhumbrian) Division ‘s attack failed with heavy casualties. Finally we have just heard that 33rd Division has begun an attack of its own, with what results we do not yet know.

VI Corps to the north of VII Corps occupied a front from Wancourt and Guémappe to the River Scarpe, south-east of Fampoux, with a bulge, or salient, sticking out towards the enemy around the village of Monchy-le-Preux. 15th (Scottish) Division attacked Guémappe and points north. Guémappe fell after hard fighting and the rest of the Division was able to make some progress. Then a German counter-attack drove the Scots out of Guémappe, though the Germans could not occupy it and the battalions north of the village held their ground. 29th Division, on the Scots’ left flank, took most of its objectives.About four o’clock this afternoon, however, the enemy counter-attacked this division also and managed to force its right-hand units back. 17th (Northern) Division’s attack made very little progress, just obtaining a precarious foot-hold in the enemy trenches.

XVII Corps area lay north of the River Scarpe and their attack today was aided by a division of XIII Corps to its north - our old friends the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division, with the 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment to the fore. Only two divisions of XVII Corps made any attack, both of them with local interest - 51st (Highland) Division, our Scottish friends who spent the first months of the war in Bedford, and 37th Division which includes 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.

51st Division were given the task of taking the village of Roeux and its chemical works and station and then moving on to the fortified ridge and Delbar and Hausa Woods. Thanks to the aid of a tank (C7 under Second Lieutenant L Victor Smith) which fired its cannons through the windows of the houses, the Highlanders were able to take Roeux. The chemical works, however, proved resistant to being captured and then the Scots were forced out of most of Roeux apart from its western fringe. Nevertheless the first objective - the Blue Line - had been taken.

37th Division did very good work today - its 111th Brigade capturing both first and second objectives and ended up two hundred yards east of the road from Roeux to Gavrelle, where it could advance no further, 13th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps even managed to reach the road from Gavrelle to Plouvain. 112th Brigade advanced on Greenland Hill, south-east of Gavrelle, thinking that the Germans had fallen back, however, they were frustrated by the failure of 51st Division to take the chamical works outside Roeux, from which fire stopped any advance. The adjutant of 6th Bedfords was able to send me just a brief message that the battalion took part in this attack on Greenland Hill but could go no further than the road from Roeux to Gavrelle, much to his frustration.

63rd (Royal Naval) Division ws allotted the capture of the village of Gavrelle and an advance three hundred yards beyond it. They were well-supplied with artillery for this limited objective, though the wire in front of the village was not well cut. The adjutant of the 4th Bedfords, like his colleague in the 6th Battalion, has had time for little more than a brief message. They attacked at 4.45 a.m. and captured Gavrelle, reaching their first and second objectives. Its third objective, along the railway line from Arras to Douai proved beyond them, however beuase one of the battalions fo the brigade - 7th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, failed to take any of its objectives, expising the Bedfords to murderous fire. No units of the division could advance beyond the village. The Bedfords were shelled very heavily during the day and this afternoon they were counter-attacked by the enemy, an attack which they repulsed. They gave suffered about 260 casualties, around a quarter of their entire strength.

So much for events at Arras. It will be seen that fortunes, as usual, have been mixed - some success, some failure. We may only be able to judge the effectiveness of the attacks today over the coming few days.

North of Arras is the village of Givenchy-en-Gohelle and the town of Avion. 5th Division has attacked in this region today, attempting to capture la Coulotte, despite the fact that wire was uncut and the prospects for success slim. I have just received a report from the adjutant of 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Their attack was no avail and the battalion has suffered terrible casualties - eleven officers, including at least five killed and 320 other ranks. The other battalions in the attack (1st Northumberland Fusiliers, 1st Devonshires and 1st Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry) have suffered correspondingly devastating casualties. Tonight the shattered battalion will withdraw, probably to Cambligneul. An attack further north by 46th Division was also a failure.

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/5/3; X550/7/1

(1) The Official History of the War states: “The fighting of 23rd April is described by more than one participant as the hardest of the War so far”.

Is the Battle of Arras About to Restart?

Sunday 22nd April 1917

For the last eight days the Battle of Arras has been in suspension, the last attacks having been made on 14th April. However, we understand that this has been a time of consolidation and planning for the renewal of the offensive. The French to the south of us on the Chemin des Dames are also consolidating after advances of four miles in places.

The adjutant of the 1st battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment told me on the “blower” today that they have moved up to the front line near Givenchy-en-Gohelle facing a hamlet called la Coulotte, south of the town of Lens, which they expect to attack tomorrow.

The 4th Battalion is also in the front line facing Gavrelle, which they believe will be their target tomorrow. Now we wait.

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

8th Bedfords Attack at Loos

Sunday 15th April 1917

Yesterdays rumours, it seems, were true. There have been no attacks at Arras today. This is familiar to us from the events on the Somme last year. A few days of violent offensive would be followed by a period of consolidation and planning before the next paroxysm of violence.

Looking back on the battle so far it is very reminiscent of the struggles of last year from the middle of July onwards. The first day was, overall, successful, though with some disappointments. Each successive day saw the enemy defences harden, communications between our own formations increasingly difficult and so our attacks increasingly less well co-ordinated and so less successful, with the inevitable effect on the casualty rate. As one of my waggish colleagues remarked last night, it is a pity that every offensive does not stop after the first day, wait a few days then have another first day. There are rumours that our French allies will begin an offensive of their own further south around Saint-Quentin in a few days’ time. We all hope their first day will be a success(1).

4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment is in the frontline at Gavrelle, north of Arras. Today it has been conducting a reconnaissance of the enemy village, along with 10th Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers. This has been a hazardous business as the Germans are alert to any forward movement, and two officers, Second Lieutenants Frear and Marshall, have been killed, three officers and fifty five other ranks wounded.

The fighting in France is not limited to Arras. The 8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment is on the old Loos battlefield of 1915, this morning it was in a position between the villages of Vermelles and Grenay. I have spoken with their commanding officer, Lord Ampthill, who told me that the battalion, along with the 1st Battalion, The Buffs attacked and seized a position south of Loos under heavy shell fire from which the Germans were spotted retiring two days ago. They are now in a trench which prolongs a feature known as the Double Crassier (two long spoil heaps of waste material from coal mining) and will, it is believed, over the next few days work their way towards a position called Hill 70 to the east.. This small action has cost twenty eight other ranks wounded.

Sources: X550/5/3; X550/1/9

(1) The French commander, Robert Nivelle intended to have a short breakthrough battle which, as soon as it started to run out of steam would be halted. Sadly it proved more difficult to halt an offensive than Nivelle realised. The French, by this stage of the war, had already had vastly more casualties than the British, and from a smaller population, by the end of the war the French would have suffered around 1,150,000 deaths (from a population of 40 million – 2.875%), Britain would suffer 750,000 deaths (from a population of 45 million – 1.6%) This left the French army’s morale fragile. It is tragic that this “Nivelle Offensive” proved to be the straw which broke the camel’s back leading to mutinies in the army and robbing it of any offensive value for some time.