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Tuesday 1st October 1918

Today the 1st battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment has moved back to huts at Neuville. They are still close to the action, however. The transport was heavily shelled resulting in the deaths of three horses, with three others being wounded, as well as one man in each category.

Operations at Vendhuile have continued for 2nd Battalion but they are due a relief tonight and a move back to Ronssoy. 4th Battalion duly took their strongpoint, Faubourg-de-Paris which they consolidated before moving back to Cantaing to become battalion in divisional reserve.

Elsewhere the splendid New Zealanders have taken the village of Crevecoeur and other davisions have taken Rumilly. Four other villages have fallen, but at some cost, particularly to the Canadians. The men from the prairies and mountains now have a clear view into Cambrai where it looks as if the enemy are preparing for a fight.

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/3/wd; X550/5/3

Stunning Success at the Saint-Quentin Canal

Sunday 29th September 1918

We have heard that 46th (North Midland) Division has, today, achieved something truly remarkable. This body of troops, which spent part of its time in Luton before going over to France, has not had a good reputation since its failure to make progress on the first day of the Battle of the Somme resulted in the sacking of its commanding officer, major-General Montagu-Stuart Wortley. Today that bad reputation has been wiped away. The division was given the task of crossing the Saint-Quentin Canal in small boats. The canal is thirty-five feet wide and defended by belts of barbed wire both on the banks and in the water. Nevertheless, the men of 137th Brigade not only crossed but stormed the enemy trenches, scattering them. The bridge at Riqueval has been seized intact and the village of Belleglise captured. 32nd Division then advanced through the victorious Midlanders and drove the enemy still further back. The much vaunted Hindenburg Line, our enemy's greatest hope for continuing the war, has been breached.

On their left the Americans of 27th and 30th Divisions - men from New York and from North and South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. 27th Division has struggled but 30th Division has done better and the Australians, advancing through the Americans have carried on an advance which has taken Bellicourt. 

Further north Third Army has continued its attacks with the redoubtable Kiwis being particularly successful. Advances have been made all along the line and The Canadians, we hear, are only a mile from the town of Cambrai. 

In the far north operations have continued around Ypres. Messines, Terhand and Dadizeele have all fallen. Everywhere our foe seems to be in retreat. 

In all of this advance on a very broad front the Bedfordshire Regiment has played its part. The 1st Battalion has made progress at minimal cost and 2nd Battalion has returned to the fray at Ronssoy, once more, fighting in Ronssoy Wood.

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/3/wd

Eighty Sixth Day of the Third Battle of Ypres

Wednesday 24th October 1917

Today has been one of reliefs, with five divisions moving out of the line and five in. Amongst the newcomers are the Canadians for the first time in this battle, 3rd Canadian Division replacing the New Zealand Division. 63rd (Royal Naval) Division have also taken over from 9th (Scottish) Division, though the 4th Bedfords are not yet in the front line.

The 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, are back in familiar territory near Hollebeke. About midnight last night the Germans raided their trenches without benefit of artillery in what is known as a “silent raid”. The raiding party were observed moving immediately to the Right of one of the advanced posts. They were fired at by the Lewis gun at this post, after firing one drum a German threw a bomb which fell on the Lewis gunners’ shelter blowing it in, the Lewis gunner continued firing however and killed the thrower. The remainder of the Germans made off towards another of the Bedfords’ posts, which fired on them and wounded one man who was captured. It is thought that at least two other of the enemy were killed by the Battalion’s Lewis gun fire. The hostile raiding party numbered about fifteen and was completely repulsed - a bloody nose for the enemy unit taking part.

Source: X550/3/wd

Seventy Fourth Day of the Third Battle of Ypres

Friday 12th October 1917

Eight divisions have made concerted attacks today across a broad front stretching from Broodeseinde in the south to Veldhoek in the north. The main aim has been to take the village of Passchendaele and the spur on which it sits. However, it has been wet again and the conditions underfoot have been even worse than during the attack on 9th and this has severely limited the amount of ground which has been taken.

The 4th Australian Division formed a block on the flank of their compatriots further north. They took their first objective but made no attack on the second as the division on their left flank could make on further advance. This was 3rd Australian Division which attacked in two brigades attacking north-east from the area around Tyne Cot(1). Patrols from 9th Brigade got into the village of Passchendaele where they encountered men wounded in the attack by 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division three days ago. The terrible conditions, however, meant that men could not be got up quickly enough, nor were there enough men available, as the brigade’s flank was not secure, to consolidate and hold the village and the division, to its chagrin, was forced to fall back nearly to its start line. 10th Brigade, attacking on 9th Brigade’s left, could not get very far at all, we understand, though it took Waterfields on the Ravebeek, now a morass of deep, sucking slime. Mounting casualties from machine gun fire from their flank caused the brigade to abandon its attack and pull back to its starting position. We understand that there is great frustration amongst the division’s commanders and, indeed, corps and army headquarters that the village of Passchendaele, which is a major prize, has had to be abandoned but in truth the men seem to have done all they could, fighting not just the Germans but the ground and the elements.

On 3rd Australian Division’s flank is the splendid New Zealand Division, which, again, used two brigades in its attack. The attack of 2nd Brigade was destroyed by the fact that the artillery had not done its job, only one narrow section of the enemy’s barbed wire around the road to s’Gravenstafel. The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Otago Regiment have, we are hearing suffered horrific casualties from enemy fire for no ground gained; clearly it was not from want of trying(2). 3rd New Zealand Brigade became intermingled with 9th (Scottish) Division early in the attack. They captured the cemetery at Wallemolen and took Wolf Farm, getting as far as Wolf Copse and then the attack was halted given the misfortune developing with 2nd Brigade. It was planned, we understand to re-commence the attack in mid-afternoon, but this was called off due to the severity of the rate of casualties.

9th (Scottish) Division used the 26th Brigade to make its attack. On the right Adler Farm, part of the first objective, was taken and Wallemolen was entered. However, the Germans had numbers of defenders in the village and managed to turn the Scots out again, so they consolidated just west of the houses, a gain of about two hundred yards. On the left an advance of only about one hundred yards has been possible, we hear.

18th Division are on the left flank of the Scots and their attack was undertaken by 53rd and 55th Brigades. 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment forms part of 54th Brigade and spent the day in attack practice at Tunnelling Camp well behind the line. 55th Brigade attacked Poelcapelle and Meunier House. They managed to take the best part of Poelcapelle, but the brewery on the eastern edge of the village proved too tough a nut to crack, as did Meunier House. There have been a number of counter-attacks to try and retake the village by the enemy through the afternoon but the last we heard the 18th Division is still in possession, adding another village to its impressive list of seizures since the opening day of the Battle of the Somme.

Next in the line is 4th Division which attacked with a composite brigade made up from the battalions in the division with the greatest numbers of men. Again, the advance was limited but some ground has been made and two farms, Besace and Memling have been taken.

17th (Northern) Division is on the left flank of 4th Division and used 51st Brigade in its attack. This attack has been a great success and all objectives have been taken, including the strongpoint at Senegal House. This was bypassed during the attack and, extraordinarily, we have been told that the whole garrison of ninety men surrendered to three unarmed men of the 7th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, who were bringing up supplies!

The final attack was made by 3rd Brigade of the Guards Division. Their attack was due north, towards Houthulst Forest. As twilight closed in this evening the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards took blockhouses at Angle Point and Aden House at the point where the division’s right flank met the left flank of 4th Division. The rest of the line now runs along the southern fringes of the forest.

So the second great attack this month has seen some more useful progress. It is unclear now long General Plumer and his staff plan to continue the offensive, but, clearly, they are not finished yet and, if nothing else, we suspect they will want to seize Passchendaele and its ridge.

(1) Today this is Tyne Cot Cemetery, the largest Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in the World with 11,965 inhabitants.

(2) The Commonwealth War Graves Commission lists 265 men from the Otago Regiment dying on 12th October and the numbers of wounded will probably have been at least twice this number. Overall 847 men from New Zealand units were killed or died of wounds on this day, compared to 866 from Australia (which had two divisions in the attack to New Zealand’s one). 1,854 men from British units died - there were five British divisions in the attack but the figure will include British units from across the World, so it can be seen that Antipodean units suffered far greater casualties than their UK counterparts. 

Sixty Sixth Day of the Third Battle of Ypres

Thursday 4th October 1917

Today is the third day in a row it has been raining and another full-scale attack has been made on the enemy here at Ypres, by twelve divisions. The most southerly of these was 37th Division, which attacked with 63rd and 111th Brigades. 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment was lent to these brigades but was not called upon, though I am very sad to report that my friend, the laconic adjutant, Captain H J Cunningham has been killed by a shell. 63rd Brigade went forward and managed to take their first objective but the Germans are always very protective of the ground anywhere in the vicinity of the Menin Road and a series of desperate counter-attacks drove the brigade back to its starting positions. 111th Brigade had more success, capturing Tower Trench but being unable to take all their objectives.

The 5th Division attack was also made without the Bedfords, the 1st Battalion being in reserve. An advance to the grounds of Polderhoek Chȃteau has been made though that attack cannot get any further as the position is very strongly held. Elsewhere Cameron Copse has been taken and the advance has ended just short of Juniper Hill which, again is very strongly held. Despite this the advance has taken a reasonable amount of ground on the Polderhoek Spur which the enemy will be unhappy to lose(1).

21st Division is on the 5th Division’s left flank and on the eastern edge of the southern part of Polygon Wood. Their attack, with 62nd and 64th Brigades, has been slightly more successful. They have taken Joist Farm, Juniper Trench and Judge Trench and a number of enemy strong-points.

7th Division is next in the line going north. They used 20th and 91st Brigades in their attack. They seem to have been completely successful, taking all their objectives including Jetty Wood, Jubilee Croft, Jay Barn, Jay Croft and Jolting House.

The colonials of the two ANZAC Corps form the next four divisions. 1st Australian Division obtained most of their objectives and even managed to capture a battery of four 77mm field guns en-route! Romulus and Remus Woods have fallen and all objectives have been taken

2nd Australian Division had to go round Zonnebeke Lake in making their attack but managed to capture Zonnebeke itself. This division, too, not to be outdone, also captured a battery of four light artillery pieces. Going on they have also managed to capture the village of Broodeseinde, giving two in one attack. We understand they have not quite achieved their final objective but can be proud of what they have achieved.

3rd Australian Division took the strong-points called Seine and Hamburg. The New Zealand Division is the furthest north of the four ANZAC divisions, they have taken Dear House, Dochy Farm, Berlin Farm, Albatross Farm, Aviatik Farm and Otto Farm and the strong-points called Boetleer, Korek, Waterloo, Riverside, Calgary Grange, Winzig and Winchester. Another splendid success for the men from the islands of the long white cloud.

48th (South Midland) Division are the next in line and attacked with one brigade. They have taken Vale Farm and Tweed House but were unable to take all their objectives, ending some way short of their final objective.

11th Division used two brigades, 33rd and 34th, in their attack. The good news is that they have taken the village of Poelcapelle as well as strong-points such as Gloster Farm, Ferdan House and Malta House.

4th Division used 10th and 11th Brigades in its attack and took Kangaroo Trench without difficulty. 11th Brigade went on to take all their objectives, a truly splendid effort worthy of the old regular army. 10th Brigade has been less fortunate, taking 19 Metre Hill but being unable to make further progress. We understand they then were hit by an enemy counter-attack but managed to fight it off.

29th Division formed the northernmost attack of today. 86th and 87th Brigades’ task was to make a defensive flank to protect the units further south from interference. A number of strong-points have been taken including Chinese House and ‘t Goed ter Vesten Farm. When the enemy counter-attacked and drove the 4th Division back it was flanking fire from 29th Division which routed the Germans and enabled 4th Division to regain the ground it had lost.

So today has seen more steady progress. It is true that not all objectives have been reached but some divisions have had great success and none have encountered outright failure. Such attacks, chipping away at the enemy bit by bit must surely begin to make an impact on him. The army is now within sight of the ridge on which stands the village of Passchendaele.

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/7/1

(1) They put in no less than eight counter-attacks regaining some of the ground.

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.

Breakthrough Near Ypres

Thursday 7th June 1917

When the history of this war comes to be written it seems likely that the name Messines Ridge will figure prominently in it. By great good fortune your correspondent was lucky enough to see some of the fighting yesterday at close quarters, paying a scheduled visit to the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, on Observatory Ridge.

The attack was made by three corps of Second Army - from south to north - II ANZAC Corps, IX Corps and X Corps. Their mission was nothing less than the capture of the whole Messines Ridge. The land around Ypres is, in general, flat, with a few low ridges which, in such a flat landscape, stand out with more than usual prominence. Messines Ridge gives splendid views over our lines to Ypres in one direction and over the German second and rear lines in the other; its capture will allow unparalleled observation of German activity and of targets for artillery.

Lieutenant-Colonel Poyntz [X550/1/81]

The attack was preceded by the explosion of twenty enormous mines under the German defenses. This tactic is well-known and was used in the Battle of the Somme last year, but never on the scale of today. Having caught a lift to the 2nd Battalion positions on Observatory Ridge before dawn I was privileged, by great good fortune, to see these mines. I have been sitting at the typewriter for a good half-hour and have been forced to concede that my powers of description fail me. An artillery barrage had preceded the firing of the mines, which told me that something big was up, so it was in a state of great excitement that I met the commanding officer of the Bedfords, Lieutenant-Colonel, E S M Poyntz, and his staff. I remember the atmosphere was very tense but also expectant. The Bedfords, Lieutenant-Colonel Poyntz informed me, were not taking part in the attack, but had to be on standby for any eventuality.

The guns fell silent about half an hour before dawn. And then a wonderful thing happened. In the new-found silence a number of us were sure we could hear a nightingale singing somewhere in the blasted woodland behind us. Perhaps it was imagination, but that moment will live with me until the end of my days, as will what happened next. At 3.10 a.m. a terrific shaking was felt followed, what seemed a few seconds later by a roar such as I have never heard, the sound of an passing express train was a lullaby compared to it. It seemed to me at the time that it went on for ever, but I have learned since that in a half-minute or so all twenty of the mines were fired (see map above) and, of course, it took a while for the sound to reach us from those further away(1). We were in a dug-out but even so for a brief moment the interior was lit up as brightly as if dawn had already arrived and we were in the open. As can be imagined there was a mad scramble for the exit, after the colonel, of course, to see what was happening.

It was then that the scale of this assault was brought home to me, and I will now try to describe it in more detail. Each of the three attacking corps had three objectives, the Blue Line, Black Line and Oosttaverne Line. After the explosions the divisions assigned to the attack went forward behind a creeping barrage of artillery shells. Each corps easily took the Blue Line, so great was the destruction caused by the mine, any man not vaporised by the explosions was too stunned to react to the situation, and large numbers of prisoners were taken.

By five o’clock this morning the first part of the German second line was in the hands of the attacking British, New Zealand and Australian troops. A pause of two hours then ensued to allow for consolidation and fresh battalions to be brought up to continue the assault and take the rear portion of the German second line. This duly happened meaning that both Blue and Black Lines had been taken. Now to press on to the third objective, the Oostaverne Line!  First came a pause to allow any German counter-attacks to be received in prepared positions rather than on the move. At 3.10 this afternoon this third phase of the attack began. As I write this the situation bids fair for this to be achieved. This is unprecedented - a major attack involving 200,000 men or so taking all its objectives. There is high excitement tonight that a real breakthrough to the peaceful countryside beyond the front line has been achieved.

Your correspondent is ending the day where he began, with 2nd Bedfords, although, by chance, he met with an acquaintance from 8th Battalion King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry a little while ago. This unit was on the right flank of the Bedfords this morning and took part in the attack. This acquaintance is a local man, Dan White from Husborne Crawley (his real name is George but is is known as Dan after his father). He expressed himself satisfied in no uncertain language that the enemy had taken “a drubbing”. His unit was one of the worst affected by casualties on the First Day of the Battle of the Somme and saw hard fighting in October around le Sars in which many of his comrades were killed.

Second Lieutenant Joyce [X550/1/81]

At 9.30 this morning. 2nd Lieutenant A W Joyce and twenty other ranks got across No Man’s Land to the enemy trenches, and were just getting into trench, when they saw it was crowded with Germans. The Patrol got back safely. An hour later a party of about three hundred Germans came across to front line trenches about three hundred yards to the right of the Bedfords, which had been vacated by the attacking KOYLI. Vickers and Lewis guns took advantage of this target and accounted for a large number, a few however got into the Bedfords’ lines, but these were soon driven out by a bombing party under 2nd Lieutenant T G Searle. Some men of the 2nd Canadian Tunnelling Company rendered valuable assistance in this little operation.

Second Lieutenant Searle [X550/1/81]

The ferocity of the explosions of the mines and of our barrage may be measured by the fact that two men of the Bedfords have been sent to the rear with shell shock. One can only guess at the effect on the enemy.

Source: X550/3/WD

(1) This explosion of mines, totalling 933,200 pounds (416 tons or 424,181 kilogrammes) of high explosive over a wide area, is ranked as one of the largest non-nuclear, man-made explosions in the history of the World and was probably the loudest in history up to that time. It was apparently heard as far away as London and even Dublin and in nearby Lille it was thought an earthquake was taking place. Around ten thousand Germans died instantly. Six mines were not used, one was detonated by lightning in 1955 and the other five remain lurking beneath the peaceful landscape.

Day Ninety Three on the Somme

Sunday 1st October 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

After being relieved from the captured Thiepval position, the 7th Battalion has been resting in huts for the day in Mailly-Maillet Wood. The General Officer Commanding 54th Brigade, T H Shoubridge, visited the battalion and addressed them in very high terms of congratulation on their morale and stubborn fighting.

The Brigadier said: "The 7th Battalion, Bedfordshires are one of the best fighting battalions it is possible to find and I am very proud to have such a battalion under my command". The Brigadier particularly referred to the severe fighting and the daring manner the Battalion had snatched from the enemy a position they boasted of being "impregnable and impossible for the English to take".

Today has been another day of vigorous attacks on the Somme. Moving from left to right across the battlefield – the Canadians captured a portion of Regina Trench lying north-west of the village of Courcelette this afternoon but have yet to succeed in holding it as counter-attacks are expected. 

On their left 23rd Division attacked and took ground. Private George White from Aspley Guise, who is known to your correspondent, told him that his unit, 8th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry together with 11th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters took all their allotted length of Flers Trench and most of Flers Support Trench. Other units from the division were unable to enter le Sars, however.

An attack by 50th (Northumbrian) Division took some of its allotted part of Flers Trench. 47th (2nd London) Division attacked the hamlet and abbey buildings of Eaucourt-l’Abbaye and, with the help of two tanks (later destroyed), they seized it. However, 1st/7th Battalion, London Regiment failed to advance very far due to uncut wire, allowing the Germans to retake Eaucourt.

The New Zealanders also went forward and gained ground. This attack was assisted by 36 Livens Projectors which created a wall of blazing fire on the German positions, though did not succeed in neutralising the enemy machine guns which did a lot of damage. Nevertheless the New Zealanders, once again, performed splendidly, taking around 250 prisoners and sections of Gird Trench, for the loss of about 850 of their men killed and wounded.

Source: X550/8/1

Day Eighty Seven on the Somme

Monday 25th September 1916: From our Correspondent in the Field

Today has seen another large attack across a broad front extending in an arc from Martinpuich through Eaucourt-l’Abbaye, Gueudecourt, Lesboeufs and Morval to Combles in the south. Our own 1st and 8th Battalions have been caught up in these attacks.

Moving from left to right: 50th (Northumbrian) Division and 1st Division have advanced a small way north towards the hamlet of Eaucourt-l’Abbaye. The New Zealanders formed the defensive left flank for this whole operation. They moved forward against unexpectedly weak opposition and now face north-west towards Eaucourt-l’Abbaye. 55th (West Lancashire) Division took a short stretch of a main German defensive line called Gird Trench just to the north of its original position

21st Division attacked towards the village of Gueudecourt. We had heard rumours that Gueudecourt had fallen, but it has become clear this evening that it has not. The attack could get no further than Gird Trench, part of which was taken but most of which remains in German hands.

The Guards Division attacked an area south of Gueudecourt as far as a road through the middle of Lesboeufs. The Guards met with little in the way of opposition, stormed through the ruins and have now occupied ground just to the east.

6th Division attacked towards Lesboeufs. The adjutant of 8th Bedfords tells me that they were in reserve for the 16th Infantry Brigade attack on the German lines between Lesboeufs and Morval to the south: “The attack commenced at 12.35 pm and the Battalion moved up to the original front line when the second objective had been taken about 2.35. Casualties from the enemy barrage were very slight. The attack proved successful and many prisoners were taken. Tonight the Battalion will furnish carrying parties to the front line battalions with ammunition and water”.

The division attacked an area north of Morval as far as the road through the centre of Lesboeufs. The division succeeded splendidly in taking all its objectives and is now dug-in east of Lesboeufs with the Guards on its right and 5th Division on its left.

The aforementioned 5th Division includes, of course, 1st Bedfords. They were in their assembly trenches by 9.30 last night. The adjutant takes up the story: "At 1.35 pm the Battalion advanced in four waves at 150 yards distance one from another, passing over the trench taken by the 1st Norfolks. The first line reached their objective, the sunken road, by 1.40. Lewis guns were immediately placed in position on the top of the bank and several drums fired at the retiring enemy. The Battalion dug-in along the line of the road and also on the top of the bank. Touch was gained with the 16th Brigade at 1.50 and with the 95th Brigade about 2 pm”.

So far so good, but there have, it seems, been familiar problems: “Considerable casualties were sustained from our own field guns, both during the advance and while holding the sunken road”. This issue, it will be remembered, hampered the 8th Battalion attack on 15th. However, Morval, along with Lesboeufs, has fallen today. 1st Cheshires succeeded in occupying it by 3 pm. The farthest point reached has been the old windmill east of the village.

The right flank of the British armies in France is currently held by 56th (London) Division. This formation attacked Combles in co-operation wih French 2nd Division around midnight. They advanced round the north end of Bouleaux Wood, which still contains German defenders, and the two nations’ troops succeeded in taking Combles and are now dug-in well to the east of it, the British facing east and the French facing north.

So today, whilst not uniformly successful, has seen another series of hammer blows to the German lines. The capture of three villages is a huge success and in places the German defenses have been much weaker than normal. One wonders if there is some sort of crisis in the German army on the Somme which our forces may be able to exploit in the days ahead(1)

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/9/1

(1) The Germans, worried about a breakthrough on the Somme, had just begun a fortified line some miles behind their own front line. This was the Siegfriedstellung, known the British as the Hindenburg Line. During the Spring of 1917 the Germans withdrew

Day Eighty Three on the Somme

Thursday 21st September 1916: From our Correspondent in the Field

Last night, around 8.30 the industrious New Zealanders attacked enemy positions north-west of Flers. This attack, without any artillery support, took the Germans completely by surprise and they were pushed back. A resulting German counter-attack was then thrown back.

It seems that the Germans have abandoned the Starfish Line which gave such trouble to the 47th (1st/2nd London) and 50th (Northumbrian) Divisions. These trenches near Martinpuich will no doubt be taken over and consolidated.

Day Seventy Eight on the Somme

Saturday 16th September 1916: From our Correspondent in the Field

This morning I spent time with the somewhat stoical Lord Henry Scott who commands the 8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment in the field. The hasty attacks of yesterday on the Quadrilateral were even more costly than I imagined. In all 126 officers and men have been killed out of 850 or so going into action. Many more, of course, have been wounded. This makes yesterday the bloodiest day for any battalion of the Regiment in this war so far.

His Lordship emphasised that the battalion exists to kill Germans and take ground and that that inevitably results in casualties. Nevertheless your correspondent could detect the grief in his eyes. His Lordship, after all, oversaw the training camp at Ampthill where most of the men who now serve under him were trained. What remains of his battalion have moved back to Maltz Horn Farm but have no rest, as they have to carry rations and other material to the front line for their successors in the firing line. Their division has joined with 56th (London) Division in making some small, local attacks.

The 1st Battalion, meanwhile, has moved to nearby Waterlot Farm, south of Delville Wood. They are temporarily part of 20th (Light) Division. The adjutant told me laconically “bad trenches and very little cover”. The Guards Division has moved forward today and attacked the area between Serpentine Trench and the village of Lesboeufs and taken some ground.

14th (Light) Division has also been in action. It advanced from positions east of Delville Wood but was unable to make any progress. I understand it is having another crack as I write these words. 41st Division, fresh from its success at Flers yesterday attacked towards the village of Gueudecourt managed to advance to within one hundred yards of a place called Gird Trench which runs around the south-west side of the village before falling back to Bull’s Road, which runs from the north end of Flers to Lesboeufs(1).

The splendid New Zealanders have managed to hang on to Courcelette, defeating a German counter-attack around nine o’clock this morning and even managed to advance a little way, taking Grove Alley west of Flers.

47th (1st/2nd London) Division attacked towards a point known as the Cough Drop south of Eaucourt-l’Abbaye but only one company managed to reach that place due to intense enemy fire. 50th (Northumbrian) Division’s attacks met with failure. 15th (Scottish) Division was counter-attacked in Martinpuich and, though beating it off, have been subjected to an enemy barrage all day.

The Canadians attacked Zollern Trench east of Thirpval but were unsuccessful. 11th Division on their left made some progress west of Mouquet Farm and 49th Division carried out raids west of Thiepval itself.

So, though not all today’s attacks have met with success a little ground has been gained. Perhaps more importantly the villages of Flers, Martinpuich and Courcelette, or, at least, their ruins, remain firmly in British hands.

Source: X550/9/1

(1) Failure to take it would lead to costly attacks by 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment on 12th October.

Day Seventy Seven on The Somme

A British Mark I Male tank on the Somme - by Ernest Brooks - Imperial War Museum

15th September 1916: From our Correspondent in the Field

Today has been one of those spasms which seem to affect life here at the front. It has been a day of determined attacks across a broad front which I will outline below. Today’s attacks, though, have been very different. In the last few days we had heard rumours of a secret weapon. Well, this weapon is secret no longer, the Germans now know all about it and, one imagines, many wish they were still in ignorance of it.

This weapon is, simply, a huge armoured vehicle. It is over thirty feet long and must weigh in excess of twenty five tons, or so educated guesses have it. It is a rhomboid shape, in other words, a lopsided rectangle and has two boxes (called sponsons I am told) on either side of its body. These carry its armament. On some vehicles it has a naval 6 pounder gun in either “sponson” and in other two machine guns. In an element of whimsy usually lacking in the stern affairs of the military, those with machine guns are known as “females” and those with 6 pounders are “males”. Presumably these metal monsters have, to some eyes, a resemblance to living leviathans. We understand the job of the “males” is to destroy buildings and strongpoints whilst the “females” mow down German infantry and machine gunners.

These leviathans, I have heard them called “land-ships”, are propelled by tracks running round the body. One may see tracks of this type on Holt tractors and they are extremely useful in crawling through mud and over brokes ground where wheeled-vehicles or cavalry could not venture. This, together with their length and weight means they can crush barbed wire for infantry to follow them and cross trenches with ease. The name most commonly in use for them seems to be the strange designation of “tank”. I am told that when they were being crated up and sent over to France, the crates were labelled as water tanks to prevent German spies from cottoning on.

Be that as it may, several dozen of these “tanks” have been employed in today’s attacks. It seems they are prone to breaking down (a facet of their design many owners of automobiles will readily understand), are difficult to steer and can go in the wrong direction because the drivers have only a tiny gap in the armour plate to look through. When they lurch into the enemy, however, they seem to sow panic and despondency wherever they go. At last a method may be at hand which may break the stalemate of this war and finally lead to a break-through.

The left flank of the attack was the action begun last night by 11th Division on Thiepval Ridge which, we understand, succeed in capturing a German stronghold known as the Wonderwork (bottom left in the map above) and a portion of a trench called Hohenzollern Trench.

Another first for today’s attack, besides the “tanks” was the introduction of the Canadian Corps into the battle. The Canadians were given the task of seizing the village of Courcelette. This, with the help of “tanks”, they took in very determined fashion. They seized the ground to the south and had to fight off German counter-attacks from the village itself before seizing that too in the last half hour or so. There will undoubtedly be counter-attacks but if the Canadians can hold the village they have taken they will have begun their campaign in a highly creditable manner.

15th (Scottish) Division attacked the village of Martinpuich. They have seized the village and are now dug-in just to the nort, facing the village of Courcelette.

50th (Northumbrian) Division captured parts of the Starfish Line which runs east from Martinpuich. Unfortunately this line could not be held and the Northumbrians were forced to retire by German artillery.

47th (1st/2nd) London Division had the difficult task of attacking High Wood today, the place which has defied capture for so long. And they achieved their task handsomely! Several hundred prisoners were taken in High Wood and around lunchtime the place was in British hands at last. The troops then moved on. Tonight they are well to the north, dug-in east of Martinpuich and just south of the strongly held Starfish Line which, in this sector, resisted attempts to capture it.

The New Zealand Division attacked with great élan from positions between High Wood and Longueval. They captured their objectives and now occupy ground west and north-west of the village of Flers. 41st Division was to attack the village of Flers itself from the south, beginning from positions north of Delville Wood. This attack included ten “tanks”, the most allotted to any attack today. The village, we understand, has fallen, materially assisted by the “tanks”. 14th Division advanced some way north of Delville Wood.

The Guards Division was given the task of attacking north-west from the north of Ginchy towards Lesboeufs. They were able to make some ground and took a number of prisoners but were unable to take their third objective which lay just south-west of Lesboeufs.

6th Division were given the task of taking the Quadrilateral. In this attack the 8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment was to the fore. At 4.30 this morning the Battalion was in position and went into the attack at 6.20, the attackers being A, C and D Companies whilst B Company bombed down a trench parallel to the attack to prevent flanking fire. It is a matter of extreme regret that the barrage by our guns intended to help the Battalion forward fell so short that it landed on top of them in shell holes south-west of the objective, from which they were preparing to attack. This error on the part of the barrage commander(1) resulted in many of our men being killed. Nevertheless, the survivors gamely went forward, supported by 1st Battalion, The Buffs and later reinforced by 2nd Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment. The Quadrilateral is a well-defended strongpoint, however, and proved impossible to take. The artillery had, once again, failed in its task as all the barbed wire in front of the strongpoint was uncut. “Tanks” were allotted to this attack but failed to turn up. Thus a catalogue of errors over which the Battalion had no influence led to the failure of their attack and the loss, it is feared, of a great number of lives. We understand that thirteen officers have become casualties, six of them dead. We do not yet know the death toll amongst the other ranks.

We understand that one of the “tanks” allotted to the parts of the Division attacking elsewhere fired on our own troops as it went forward. The failure of the 8th Bedfords was part of a greater failure by the division, which failed to get any where near its overall objective, the village of Morval.

On the far right of the attack, near the village of Combles, 56th (London) Division made some progress towards that village and towards Morval but were stopped by uncut barbed wire south of Middle Copse.

Today has seen three villages – Flers, Courcelette and Martinpuich taken by an attack on a wide front. This has been the biggest co-ordinated attack since 1st July and has achieved great things. With the help of the “tanks” the army is hoping for more great things in the days to come.

Source: X550/9/1

(1) XIV Corps Commander, Royal Artillery was Brigadier-General Alexander Ernest Wardrop