A Third Battalion Round-Up

Monday 16th July 1917

The adjutant of 7th Battalion wired me to mention that Captain D S H Keep was buried this evening in the village cemetery at Reningelst with full military honours, all his Company and most of the officers of the Battalion in attendance.

The 2nd Battalion are well behind the lines at Polincove near Calais. Lieutenant J T Coe has rejoined the Battalion from England and Major R O Wynne has rejoined from 19th Battalion, King’s (Liverpool) Regiment.

The 4th Battalion has been in the front line near Oppy Wood, taken by 1st Battalion last month. Today they have been relieved and marched back to Beverley Camp. They have been joined by Second Lieutenants C H Wareing and A L Gordon from base; Captain A C Croskell and Second Lieutenant T R G Cooke have rejoined from hospital

Second Lieutenant Croskell [X550/1/82]

Yesterday in Palestine 1st/5th Battalion took Holy Communion at 7 a.m. The force selected to raid Umbrella Hill had a rest from their training but a patrol of two officers and six other ra

nks went out into No Man’s Land to the south-east and south-west of Umbrella Hill and, although having to dodge machine-gun bullets on the south-east side, no enemy patrols were encountered.

Sources: X550/3/WD; X550/5/3; X550/6/8; X550/8/1

Successful Attack on Oppy

Friday 29th June 1917

Last night 15th Brigade of 5th Division and 94th Brigade of 31st Division attacked Oppy and Oppy Wood north-east of Arras. This position had been attacked on 3rd May but had withstood capture, this evening it is in British hands.

The attack seems to have been surprisingly easy, if the words of the adjutant of 1st Bedfords, which took part in the operation, are to be believed. The attackers left their trenches at 7.10 pm last evening, quickly gained all their objectives and then spent the night consolidating the ground against any German counter-attacks. It is understood that 15th Brigade have taken around 150 prisoners as well as a number of machine-guns. While 5th Division took the ruins of Oppy and Oppy Wood, 31st Division took Gavrelle Mill. Both positions have a good view of the German lines and rear areas. German counter-attacks seem to have been largely dealt with by artillery fire.

Second Lieutenant Whitfield [X550/1/82]

1st Battalion casualties during action have been reported as Second Lieutenant A S Trotter and Second Lieutenant C O Whitfield wounded, and Second Lieutenant Hope who dislocated a knee. Acting Company Sergeant Major W J Summerfield, from Wilshamstead, was killed along with eight other ranks, thirteen more are missing and ninety-five wounded, mostly from a German barrage which struck the front line two hours before the operation began.

Surprise seems to have been a key element. The bombardment of the enemy positions did not begin until 7 pm with the attack going in, behind a creeping barrage, just ten minutes later.

It is understood that attacks by 4th Canadian and by 46th (North Midland) Division (who were based in Luton at the beginning of the war) further north around Souchez have also succeeded. The word seems to be that these are not part of a full-scale offensive but rather a “tidying-up” of the line and limited operations to seize positions of tactical importance.

Source: X550/2/5

Another Incident Involving a Grenade

Wednesday 27th June 1917

The 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment has been in a camp near Roclincourt, north of Arras. Tonight they are going back into the front line near Oppy. This evening grenades were being issued prior to the move and an accident took place resulting in detonation of one of the bombs. In the closely-packed confines of the communication trench sixteen men were wounded, though none fatally.

Lieutenant E F Hansen, who is in charge of the Battalion’s Lewis gunners left for the trenches at 2.30 this afternoon. He is currently arranging for guides from the battalion which the Bedfords are going to relieve, to guide the Battalion to their positions.

Source: X550/2/5

More Attacks at Arras on Day Twenty Five of the Battle

Thursday 3rd May 1917

Today has seen another major assault undertaken against the Germans around Arras with three armies - 1st, 3rd and 5th all involved. In the south, the 5th Army was given the task of taking Bullecourt, Riencourt and Hendecourt. 3rd Army was to seize Fontaine-lès-Croisilles, Chérisy, the factory at Saint-Rohart, Pelves and the station at Plouvain while 1st Army, in the north, was to occupy Oppy and Fresnoy.

We will begin in the south with 5th Army. In order to take Hendecourt and Riencourt the 62nd (West Riding) Division, in its first major battle, was given the task of taking Bullecourt which here forms part of the defences of the Hindenburg Line. The Australians  tried to take this place on 11th April and it is clearly a difficult nut to crack. It is understood that the village is still in German hands as I write these lines. The Australian 2nd Division was ordered to take the Hindenburg Line on the right flank of the village of Bullecourt. Hard fighting here has, we understand, yielded a little success. Though only a small segment of the defences have been penetrated, by 6th Australian Brigade, that task has been no easy one and the troops involved have performed splendidly.

The main weight of the attacks today has fallen, as throughout the battle, on General Allenby’s 3rd Army. Once again VI, VII and XVII Corps have all been in action. VII Corps’ task was to advance in a south-easterly direction. 21st Division had to capture the village of Fontaine-lès-Croisilles and the ground to the south of it. This attack, we learn, has been something of a fiasco, as has the attack on Chérisy by 18th (Eastern) Division, in which 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment has taken part. 21st Division seems to have veered off course and run into 18th Division, which had to alter its course in turn. It looks as if no progress has been made. Having tried to raise the adjutant of the Bedfords, and having failed to do so a full report of their actions must wait until tomorrow, we hope they have not suffered too badly. As I write this word has reached me that most of the Battalion is still stuck in No Man’s Land unable to advance or retreat. The attack on 18th Division's left flank by 14th (Light) Division has also failed and, like those of the other two divisions, has gained no ground.

For three divisions to fail to take any objectives there must be serious reasons. We are hearing that the darkness was a major contributory factor, the attacks all beginning before dawn. The German artillery also seems to have been particularly destructive and the German counter-attacks, where any ground was momentarily taken (55th Brigade of 18th Division succeeded, briefly, in occupying Chérisy), decisive.

North of VII Corps lies VI Corps with 56th (London), 3rd and 12th (Eastern) Divisions. These men were to take the factory at Saint-Rohart, a wood called the Bois du Sart and the village of Pelves. 56th Division achieved some solid success in some places but once again, we here, in others the enemy artillery caused great loss, resulting in the division having to retire to its front line once again. 3rd Division's attack, we understand, has had to be undertaken wearing respirators as the enemy deluged them not only with normal artillery fire but with poisoned gas shells too. It comes as no surprise, then, that we hear this attack has also stalled. To 12th Division has fallen, we are led to believe, the only success of the day, 36th Brigade having managed an advance of about a quarter of a mile, though the rest of the division could not match it.

XVII Corps was slated to take Roeux, the chemical works and Greenland Hill, all objectives which have been outstanding since 10th April. 4th Division attacked Roeux but it seems that, this evening, it is still held by the enemy. 9th (Scottish) Division has only two brigades because its South African Brigade is very weak due to reinforcements being wanting, thus 52nd Brigade from 17th (Northern) Division was temporarily transferred to 9th Division to replace it. Here again the attack was unsuccessful and a colleague of mine from Scotland remarked to me that he fears that one battalion, 6th King’s Own Scottish Borderers has been all but wiped out.

With only one brigade of 3rd Army having made any progress we have been waiting to hear news of 1st Army’s attacks on the northern limits of the battlefield. Here XIII Corps used 31st Division and 2nd Division to assault the enemy line. 31st Division assaulted Oppy Wood but seem to have been unable to make consistent progress, a German counterattack even  managing to recapture Gavrelle windmill before they were driven out. 2nd Division is very weak in strength and, trying to capture the village of Oppy, was unsuccessful and is now so reduced in numbers that the phrase “bled white” is being used.

2nd Division was to secure the flank of the Canadian Corps which was to take the village of Fresnoy. In this they succeeded, though at great cost, which meant that the Canadian attack could take place. Here has been the shining light in a day of gloom. The splendid Canadians have taken the village and, last we heard, are still holding it. So another victory has been added to the already extensive battle honours of the men from North America in this war so far.

Source: X550/8/1

Twenty First Day of the Battle of Arras

Sunday 29th April 1917

Last night at 7 o’clock 63rd (Royal Naval) Division and 2nd Division resumed their attacks of yesterday. 63rd Division was to advance far enough to form a defensive flank for 2nd Division’s attack on Oppy Wood and Oppy itself.

63rd Division’s included an attack by a composite battalion formed by 7th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers and 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. I spoke with the adjutant of the Bedfords at length today and he told me that the composite battalion achieved its objective, but was then counter-attacked and driven out. However, it rallied and then re-took the trench it was to occupy and had consolidated it by about 11 o’clock this morning.

99th Brigade of the Division achieved some success and, after similar vicissitudes to the Bedfords, eventually managed an advance of about one thousand yards. 2nd Division also managed an advance of about one thousand yards. Altogether, although Oppy Wood and Oppy itself remained in German hands the trench system defending them has been taken.

Sources: X550/5/3.

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