Shell Craters and Barbed Wire

Saturday 24th March 1917 from our correspondent in the field

During the pursuit of the retreating Germans the East Anglian Royal Engineers have not been idle, as we heard on 13th March. They have been working in the vicinity of the village of Sapignies, north-west of Bapaume.

A tool cart and limber was sent to No 1 section at Sapignies via Bapaume. Then the Company (less one section detailed as an advanced guard) received orders to move to Sapignies as Royal Engineers of the main guard, formed by 6th Infantry Brigade, on 2nd Division advance.

The Company arrived (via Bapaume) at Sapignies and cleared roads around two mine craters, shown as red x's on the map above. They also removed the wire obstacles across the road marked by the blue cross. Their division was then relieved by 18th Division bringing them, once more, into close contact with 7th Bedfords, though whether old friends were able to spend time together is doubtful as everyone is working at high pressure to ensure that the German retreat is followed as closely as possible.

Source: WW2/WD3

What the Royal Engineers Did

Monday 19th February 1917 from our correspondent in the field

2nd Division were also in the fight for Petit Miraumont on Saturday and one of the units of engineers attached to the division is 1st Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers. The adjutant told us about their activities on Friday and Saturday: “We were at Wolfe Huts where preparations were made for the carrying out of work allotted to this Company. This work consisted of teo sections to construct posts for the consolidation of ground to be captured by the 6th Infantry Brigade. The attached sappers’ mates of these sections and half a company of 10th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry were under orders of our officer commanding and their work was to execute the wiring in front of ground to be captured by the Brigade”.

“The other two sections were attached to the 5th Field Company, Royal Engineers for the consolidation of ground to be captured by the 99th Infantry Brigade, between East and West Miraumont Roads”.

“Owing to the failure of the attack on Desire Support Trench [south of Pys and Miraumont] by the 6th Infantry Brigade , neither of the two sections attached to this Brigade were called up. Under orders from Advanced 6th Infantry Brigade Headquarters the attached sappers’ mates and half company of DCLI left billets at 11 pm and proceeded to work, which conxisted of repairing the wire of our own front line, which had been cut tp permit the attack made in the morning”.

“With reference to the two sections attached to 5th Field Company as only the first objective was reached by the 99th Brigade only Number 4 Section, under Lieutenant J H King was sent up to perform its allotted work. Previous to this a daylight reconnaissance of the positions of the strongpoints to be constructed had been made by Second Lieutenant J H King, taking advantage of the mist. This section, together with attached sappers’ mates and one platoon 10th DCLI started work about 4.30 pm and completed Strongpoint Number 1 and also did s consideravle amount of work on Strongpoint Number 6. Second Lieutenant King and one other rank were slightly wounded, both remaining at duty”.

Source: WW1/WD3

Royal Engineers are Always Busy

Thursday 8th February 1917 from our correspondent in the field

The 1st Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers is in and around Aveluy Wood, north of Albert on the banks of the River Ancre. Its adjutant reports that it is supplying skilled labour to the Divisional Hutting Officer, making brushwood mats and cutting timber in the wood.

The Company’s other task is preparing Bangalore torpedoes for use of 6th Infantry Brigade, erecting a camouflage screen at Courcellette and the establishment of wire dump near front line. These activities suggest an attack somewhere in the vicinity of Courcelette soon(1)

Source: WW1/WD3

(1) They were preparations for an attack on Desire Support Trench on February 17th as part of a general attack around Miraumont.

The Second day of the Battle of Festubert

Monday 17th May 1915: The adjutant of 2nd Bedfords tells us that they made no further attack yesterday, instead working parties under 2nd Lieutenants F. Powell and N. Dabell from B and C Companies respectively, did excellent work, while being heavily shelled, making communications from our old front line trench. Sergeant. T. Eustace of B Company with Lance Corporal Coleman of 2nd Battalion, Border Regiment showed great gallantry in bringing in wounded men to the cover of our trenches while under heavy shell fire. These two non-commissioned officers brought in over fifty wounded and gained the praise of several officers. The Battalion was heavily shelled all day and night and it is understood that 2nd Lieutenant R. A. B. Orlebar from Hinwick was buried for a while and wounded(1).

Later yesterday morning both 2nd and 7th Divisions made attacks to try to link up, a dangerous gap having developed between them. This failed and the men of 6th Brigade of 2nd Division were forced to withdraw some way.

This means that more attacks have begun this morning by 7th Division and parts of 2nd to close the gap between them. An intense bombardment on the position known as The Quadrilateral, which stopped the advance of 6th Division on the first morning of operations resulted in the garrison surrendering en-masse. It is understood that it is raining this morning which will mean mud and thus render any attack more difficult. It is understood that the attack will be made by 21st Brigade and so our men will be involved. We pray they may be fortunate.

Source: X550/3/wd

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(1) Sergeant Eustace won the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his bravery. Sadly he was killed on 31st July And is buried at Saint-Vaast Post Military Cemetery, Richebourg-l’Avoué. Happily, Dabell and Powell seem to have survived the war.

The Battle of Festubert Begins

Sunday 16^th May 1915: last night and this morning the new British offensive at Festubert opened with attacks by 2nd and Meerut Divisions. This attack has, we believe, had mixed results. On the left, furthest north, the Garhwal Brigade of Meerut Division was to advance and then form a defensive flank, facing north, to prevent the Germans outflanking the two advancing brigades of 2nd Division (5th and 6th Brigades in that order, north to south). In the event, the Garhwal Brigade, under Major-General C. G. Blackadder could not advance very far because troops of the Jullundur Brigade on its left had been shooting at the German lines since last evening, mitigating any chance of surprise. The attack began half an hour before midnight and the Germans, using flares, were able to see 39th Garhwal Rifles and 3nd Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment as they crossed into No Man’s Land and, suffering heavy casualties, they were unable to advance.

The same was true of 5th Infantry Brigade and we understand with sadness that one of our local units, 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, has suffered numerous casualties. To the south of this, 6th Brigade of 2nd Division was able to achieve surprise and take the enemy’s front and support trenches, which they are now consolidating.

Around 3.15 this morning, London time, it was the turn of 7th Division, immediately south of 2nd Division, who thus began their attack just over three hours after the battle began. The adjutant of the 2nd Bedfords tells us that his brigade, 21st, is in reserve and that the other two brigades (20th and 22nd) made the initial attack after an intensive bombardment of half an hour. This was quite successful. 22nd Brigade, under Brigadier-General S. T. B. Lawford(1) took heavy casualties from machine-guns but pressed on and took the German front and support lines. 20th Brigade, north of them, was less successful. They took the front line but a strong point called The Quadrilateral, from its shape, prevented them going any further and strong counter-attacks nearly drove them out, though they managed to hold firm. This lack of progress exposed the flank of 22nd Brigade, which had got further, causing them to stop too.

We believe that the machine-guns of two companies of 2nd Bedfords, under Lieutenant George, are just moving up to occupy the old German front line. What the rest of the day will bring is unsure, though any further attacks look unlikely.

Source: X550/3/wd

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(1)  “Swanky Syd” Lawford, father of actor Peter Lawford, who was brother-in-law to American president J. F. Kennedy