A Satisfactory Advance

Saturday 19th October 1918

Today's attack by Fourth Army went as the armchair generals of the press corps predicted. Outflanked to the south the Germans providing stiff opposition for American 27th and 30th Divisions had retired overnight allowing the Americans to capture the village of Mazinghien. Further progress took place to the south of the Americans meaning that in the last three days, though the fighting has been as hard, at times, as any in this war, an advance of up to eight miles has been made, we are told some 5,000 enemy combatants have been taken prisoner and sixty or so guns have been taken. It has been a satisfactory advance.

Solid Progress on the Right

Friday 18th October 1918

Fourth Army's attack today has again met with stiff resistance with the American 27th and 30th Divisions managing little forward movement. On the right, however, things went much better, with the village of Wassigny falling. Touch has been made with the French to thesouth who have cleared the Andigny Forest and so the enemy resistance in the centre will not long hold things up as they find themselves out-flanked from the south.

Hard Fighting Around le Cateau

Thursday 17th October 1918

As good as his word yesterday General Rawlinson's Fourth Army attacked the enemy positions along the River Selle today, after a four-day bombardment by over a thousand guns. During the misty light of dawn the men of seven divisions (including the American 27th and 30th Divisions) went forward.

It has been a tough fight all day across the swollen river, the Americans, for example, could not even take their first objective and an enemy counter-attack prompted 50th (Northumbrian) Division to give up some of the ground it had taken. However, 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division, with the South African Brigade to the fore, has taken the village of le Cateau. Tomorrow will see the attack resumed and there is a determination that the enemy are not going to prevail.

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

Barrage Demonstration

British 6 inch howitzer at Imperial War Museum, Duxford

Sunday 16th June 1918

In yesterday's report you correspondent described how enemy shelling of the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment was brought to a swift close by retaliation by our guns. Today the adjutant of the training cadre which is all that remains of 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, told me of a demonstration by the Royal Artillery watched by the men of the American 30th Division. This was intended to show them, the power and accuracy of modern gunnery and to to demonstrate how a creeping barrage works, acting as a both a screen and a neutralising curtain for the infantry as they go forward, sending the enemy into their dugouts and preventing them firing on the advancing infantry. It will likely not be long before the Doughboys, as the Americans are nick-named, advance for real behind such barrages.

Source: X550/7/1