Fifty Second Day of the Third Battle of Ypres

Thursday 20th September 1917

Today the great offensive, like the engine of a Mark IV Tank, once more roared into life, something the gentlemen of His Majesty’s Press Corps here at the front have been urging for a little while now. Today’s action has straddled the ground either side of the Menin Road, with eleven divisions involved.

One of the earliest actions was a raid near Hollebeke by the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, of which we hope to be able to speak at greater length tomorrow.

The action, running from south to north, has been as follows. 19th (Western) Division attacked with two brigades, 57th and 58th in the area immediately north of Hollebeke and the 2nd Bedfords. Their attack ran south-eastwards and, despite some local difficulties, it appears to have gone well. The strong-points of Hessian Wood, Moat Farm, Funny Farm, Wood Farm, Belgian Wood and North Farm have all been taken and the division is understood to be anticipating a counter-attack(1).

39th Division attacked in a south-easterly direction, took the greater part of Bulgar Wood from positions on the eastern edge of Shrewsbury Forest. A post was also established on the far side of a stream known as the Bassevillebeek.

41st Division were attacking south-eastwards in the general direction of Gheluveldt, though this was not an objective. All three brigades of this division were used. Progress was difficult at times but objectives have been taken including Java Avenue, Tower Trench and Bitter Wood. They could not quite take Tower Hamlets, which is a very strongly sited and defended maze of concrete dug-outs and pillboxes, but have dug in right in front of it and, in places, they are a way short of the Bassevillebeek.

23rd Division used 68th and 69th Brigades and attacked on the left flank of 41st Division and managed to advance a way further, in most places taking all their objectives. 69th Brigade straddled the Menin Road itself. Between them they have taken Dumbarton Wood and Herenthage Chȃteau and, we are very glad to report, the festering sore of Inverness Copse has been eradicated, by 11th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment. This afternoon the understand the enemy made a two determined attempts to retake lost ground but these were destroyed by artillery fire.

1st Australian Division is on the left of 23rd Division and 2nd Division on their flank further to the north. The 6th Australian Battalion passed through Glencorse Wood, of evil memory, with as little difficulty as the 7th Bedfords did on 10th August. Unlike the case with the Bedfords, the units on their flanks also continued going forward, making the Australians’ advance a much easier proposition. The 1st Division has also taken Fitzclarence Farm along with Verbeek Farm, also Nonne Bosschen, the advance coming to a halt on the western edge of Polygon Wood. 2nd Division took Hanebeek, Iron Cross and Anzac House and achieved all its objectives.

9th (Scottish) Division went into action on the left flank of the Australians, attacking north-eastwards in the general direction of Zonnebeke. Two brigades were used - 27th and the South African Brigade. Hanebeek Wood fell quickly, as did the Potsdam pillboxes and the Zonnebeke Redoubt. The South Africans took Borry Farm, Zevenkote and Bremen Redoubts. We understand they were attacked by the enemy about two hours ago, but beat them off.

55th (West Lancashire) Division attacked with 164th and 165th Brigades. . 165th Brigade has taken Iberian, Lens, Gallipoli, Kier, Suvla, Capitol and Delva Farms as well as Hill 35 - another thoroughly successful attack. The day seems to have been harder for 164th Brigade. They have taken Aisne and Loos Farms and Hindu Cottage and Schuler Galleries but further gains seem to have eluded them, a rare disappointment in this day of successes.

58th (2nd/1st) London Division have also made a successful advance, 174th Brigade taking Vancouver Farm and Keerselare as well as Hübner Farm and Dimple Trench, Cluster House, Clifton House, Wurst Farm and Olive House, all their objectives. 173rd Brigade have made a full advance and taken the western edge of the Gravenstafel Spur.

Our friends the 51st (Highland) Division, quartered in Bedford until 1915, attacked with 154th Brigade. They have taken Pheasant Trench and Flora Cottage, Quebec Farm and Bavaroise House. Pheasant Farm Cemetery, Malta, Rose and Delta Houses were taken in a second wave of attacks. A couple of hours ago the enemy began a counter-attack between York Farm and Tweed House. We understand that the highlanders are putting up stiff resistance(2).

20th (Light) Division was the northernmost division in the attack, using 59th and 60th Brigades. 60th Brigade was held up by a defensive line called Eagle Trench, though we understand this is again under assault as I write this (3). 59th Brigade have also been held up by Eagle Trench(4).

It will be evident from the foregoing that fighting is still going on in parts of the battlefield. Nevertheless, it has been a very successful day, with deep gains across a broad front making it the best day for our armies since 31st July. Naturally we have to be cautious about the possibility of enemy counter-attacks overnight and early tomorrow, but there is a decided air of optimism among the “gentlemen of the press” out here tonight.

Source: X550/3/wd

(1) When it arrived at 7.30 p.m. it was quickly stopped.

(2) Until their ammunition ran out, which forced a retirement, Rose Farm falling to the enemy. After collecting ammunition from the dead and wounded the Scots attacked again, retaking the lost ground.

(3) It fell but that was the limit of the gains.

(4) Which could not be taken in its entirety

Sixth Day of the Third Battle of Ypres

Sunday 5th August 1917

Today the Germans again attacked the hamlet of Hollebeke and, again, managed to take it, but were again driven out by 41st Division,. This time with help from 19th (Western) Division. However, another German attack, on 24th Division, managed to capture part of that formation’s front line near Shrewsbury Forest. Such piecemeal attacks might suggest that the enemy does not have the strength for an all-out counter-attack against the whole of our newly advanced line and so is picking places he thinks are likely to be most susceptible.

The men of the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, near the front line at Railway Dugouts spent today improving the path at the foot of an embankment and built an esplanade along a pond to assist in troop movements. Eight scouts and two runners per company and Headquarters reconnoitred the route up to the Hooge Tunnel dug-outs (at the place on Menin Road where it suddenly turns south-east after going east in a straight line) where their Headquarters are to be for the pending operations. Major Bridcutt DSO and the Adjutant are attending a conference at Brigade Headquarters as I write these lines to discuss the general principles of the intended attack.

Source: X550/8/1

A New Offensive Begins Successfully at Ypres

 This map shows the original front line in pink with the line gained at the Battle of Messines in orange and today's front line in blue

Tuesday 31st July 1917

A major offensive began today around the Belgian city of Ypres. So far news is very encouraging and everyone is in high hopes that significant progress can be made. Readers will remember comments on past offensive operations to the effect that a successful first day does not necessarily mean continuing success over future days; the enemy is tough and shrewd and will usually launch determined counter-attacks to regain lost ground. Also, much planning goes into the beginning of an offensive, where enemy positions are known and can be countered. After the first day the situation becomes much more fluid and planning, accordingly, much less precise. This often means offensives halting after a few days for an appraisal of the new situation to be made and new plans made accordingly. Thus modern offensives are often a series of starts and stops rather than a free-flowing advance.

On 1st July last year the first day of the great Somme offensive was a very mixed picture. Some thirteen divisions went into the attack, of which two were completely successful (18th (Eastern) including the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment and 30th Division, including the 2nd Battalion), one was partially successful and the other ten were not able to make any progress. Today fifteen divisions attacked across a front stretching, in an arc from Warneton in the south to Boesinge in the north. All of these had at least a little success and some obtained all their objectives, making this a much more satisfying day.

Despite this being the last day of July the weather, though warm enough, has been wet, with nearly an inch falling during the day. As can be imagined this added to the difficulty of the troops. They had to cope with a certain amount of mud, where the rain mingled with the fresh earth thrown-up by shells exploding and the humidity made one sweat of one was simply sitting idly, never mind rushing into a life-or-death attack. In conditions like these a man’s water bottle can empty horribly quickly.

To look at each division’s activities in detail would make a very long piece, so your correspondent will content himself with an overview. He will try to illustrate each action in this battle with maps but craves readers' pardons as information is not aways accurate, he is not a natural artist and the conditions in his dugout are not always conducive of concentration!

From what we have been able to glean so far the attack has been most successful at either end of this arc, north and south. The smallest progress has been made in the centre of the battlefield, around the infamous Menin Road and it is here that, by chance, 18th and 30th Divisions have again found themselves, though we understand that no battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment has been engaged in the attack today.

In all maps the area hatched in blue is ground gained during the attack and orange lines, if shown are boundaries between the attacking units

The southernmost attack, undertaken from the vicinity of Messines towards the town of Warneton (which is a border town and actually lies in France) has been undertaken by the New Zealand Division and 3rd Australian Division. So far both these formations seem to have reached their objectives, which are short of Warneton itself. Both these colonial divisions have a fine reputation which they seem to be upholding today, particularly the New Zealanders, who effectively represent their small nation’s entire army.

Immediately north of the Australians is 37th Division. This formation has also taken a number of its objectives. Only one brigade has been in action and we understand that the brigade including 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, is still well back and not involved. Progress here seems a little less than that made by the colonials but the attack by 19th (Western) Division on the left flank of 37th Division seems to be doing splendidly.

Moving north we come next to 41st Division. Their attack was difficult insomuch as they had one brigade south of the canal from Yser to Commines and another north of it. The canal here does a dog-leg south so that by the end of the attack the brigade south of the canal was west of it and that to the north was east of it. The two brigades, 122nd and 123rd, have, we are told, taken their two objectives and are only a little short of the final objective.

It is the two divisions north of here which have had most difficulty as they are attacking across the middle of the battlefield, which has seen the most action in past campaigning seasons and where defences are at their strongest for this reason. 

24th Division has attacked through Shrewsbury Forest which, we understand, they have taken. However, they have not been able to go much further. In places they have reached their first objective and in others they are still short of it. 

30th Division, so successful on the first day of the great Somme offensive last year, has had a trying day today. 21st Brigade, which includes 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, has taken Bodmin Copse, a little short of its first objective, but could get no further. The Bedfords have not been involved in their brigade’s attack. The adjutant told me a few moments ago that they had received orders at 4.50 this afternoon to attack Glencorse Wood(1) but fifteen minutes later the order was cancelled and the Bedfords were withdrawn 200 yards, when they came under heavy shellfire. This wood was one of the division’s objectives but this evening is still firmly in enemy hands. 90th Brigade has taken Clapham Junction and Stirling Castle astride the Menin Road and, in places, reached its first objective.

One Brigade of the 18th Division, 53rd, was to leap-frog 30th Division once Glencorse Wood had been taken`. In the event, it seems as if 30th Division’s attack was so ill-co-ordinated that 53rd Brigade assisted them by taking a fortification known as Jargon Trench a few hundred yards short of Glencorse Wood at the northernmost part of the division's line(2). The 7th Bedfords are in 54th Brigade and their adjutant informs me that during the day they have moved up close to the battlefront.

North of Glencorse Wood the 8th Division took Bellewaarde Lake(3) and are currently just short of their second objective. 

15th (Scottish) Division have also had a reasonably successful day, taking the hamlet of Frezenburg and their first two objectives. North of them 55th (West Lancashire) Division has been even more successful, taking their first two objectives and also capturing, we are hearing, no less than five batteries of enemy field guns, so rapid was their advance.

39th Division, attacking towards Saint-Julien, took both their first two objectives and are currently part way to their final objective. Our old friends, 51st (Highland) Division, whose war base was in Bedford until they moved to France in 1915, have, by all accounts had a great day. Attacking towards Langemarck they have taken all their objectives and, indeed, gone some way beyond their final objective. Well done the Highlanders!

In the northern part of the battlefield the 38th Division have also taken all three objectives and, like the Highlanders, have overshot and advanced some way beyond. Those magnificent men of the Guards Division, on the left flank of the British Armies and side by side with the 201st French Regiment, attacked towards Wijdendrift from the neighbourhood of Boesinge and again took all their objectives and advanced on beyond them almost to Wijdendrift.

As I write these lines the enemy are massing for counter-attacks in a number of places so this first day of the great offensive is not yet spent. Let us hope that tomorrow will see another successful day(4)

Sources: X550/3/wd; X550/7/1; X550/8/1

(1) This wood would be attacked by the 7th Bedfords on 10th August.

(2) This trench formed the jumping-off point for the 7th Battalion’s attack on Glencorse Wood.

(3) Today a water-based amusement park

(4) These counterattacks were frequently dispersed by British artillery, though they did make some progress against 37th Division near its boundary with 19th Division.

Day One Hundred and Thirty Six on the Somme

Monday 13th November 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

Today the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division made its first attack on the Somme. Together with 51st (Highland) Division, whose base of operations in 1914 was Bedford, as residents will well remember. Other divisions, too, have been involved in an attack which stretched from Hébuterne in the north to Grandcourt, the front forming a rough L-shape.

31st Division made the attack near Hébuterne. They easily took the German front line trenches and got into a hot fight at the enemy’s support line, many Germans being killed during one of their counter-attacks. This evening, we understand, the division has been ordered to return to its front lines, yielding ground gained. This is because 3rd Division failed completely in its attack on the village of Serre. This area was the site of terribly costly attacks on 1st July by many pals battalions from the north of England, forming 31st Division. Then the ground was rock hard, today it was waist deep in mud and it was this, more than the German defences, which caused the failure. 2nd Division attacked to the south of 3rd Division, advanding along the Redan Ridge. Here some ground, including the German front line was taken.

The Highlanders attacked Beaumont-Hamel itself together with Y-Ravine with the Naval Division attacking between Y-Ravine and the River Ancre. The Scots’ attack was aided by the explosion of a huge mine at Hawthorn Crater. The blast was terrific, the very mud beneath one’s feet quivering with the shock waves. We have been told that 30,000 pounds of explosive were used. The attackers were also aided by a low mist which hampered the Germans’ line of sight. It was some recompense for the deep mud through which the men had to stumble and slog. Their achievement in taking Beaumont-Hamel and Y-Ravine was thus a very notable one of which the men from the glens can be proud.

The Royal Naval Division attacked with its sailors and Royal Marines (188th and 189th Brigades), the “army men” of 190th Brigade, including the 4th Bedfords, being held in reserve. The German front line was taken, along with Beaucourt Station and Station Road, four hundred prisoners being captured into the bargain. The attack on the left, closest to Y-Ravine, suffered many casualties and 190th Brigade was inserted at that point.

The Bedfords suffered from fire from an enemy strongpoint between the German first and second lines. This had been by-passed by the leading brigade. Nevertheless the battalion got to the enemy second line and from there parties pushed on to Station Road and beyond. Thus, in their first action the battalion did itself great credit, though I understand that losses have been heavy, disproportionately so amongst the officers.

On the other side of the River Ancre, 39th Division met with considerable success, advancing over a thousand yards and taking Beaucourt Mill. The village of Saint-Pierre-Divion fell before eight o’clock this morning. 19th (Northern) Division formed the right-hand of the attack. The brigade on the left managed an advance but the brigade on the right, where it joined 18th (Eastern) Division failed to make any headway.

So although today’s attacks have met with mixed success, two more villages, Saint-Pierre-Divion and the much longed-for prize of Beaumont-Hamel have been added to the “bag” in this battle of 136 days.