2nd Bedfords' Revenge

Remains of the fir wood seen from the west

Monday 2nd November 1914: Once again today the Germans assembled in the fir wood in between Zandvoorde and the 2nd Bedfords’ position south of the Menin Road. The adjutant tells us that they attacked the Scots Guards but were enfiladed by the Bedfords and were driven back.[1]

A more dramatic account was given to us by Private Decimus Dilley from Clifton who was wounded in the action: “They attacked us in superior numbers. We waited coolly for their advance and let them get within 200 yards of us, and then we poured a rapid fire into them. We could not miss them and you should have seen them scatter. Orders came down the trenches to fix bayonets and charge. It was the mad hour of my life. Hundreds of dead Germans were lying on the field”.

Sources: X550/3/wd; Bedfordshire Times 20th November 1914

[1] Enfilading fire was when a unit was on the flank of another unit and, firing on it, was able to have its bullets travel all along the enemy line, doing significant damage.