Thursday 3rd May 1917
Today has
seen another major assault undertaken against the Germans around Arras with
three armies - 1st, 3rd and 5th all involved. In the south, the 5th Army was
given the task of taking Bullecourt, Riencourt and Hendecourt. 3rd Army was to
seize Fontaine-lès-Croisilles, Chérisy, the factory at Saint-Rohart, Pelves and
the station at Plouvain while 1st Army, in the north, was to occupy Oppy and
Fresnoy.
We will begin
in the south with 5th Army. In order to take Hendecourt and Riencourt the 62nd
(West Riding) Division, in its first major battle, was given the task of taking
Bullecourt which here forms part of the defences of the Hindenburg Line. The
Australians tried to take this place on
11th April and it is clearly a difficult nut to crack. It is understood that
the village is still in German hands as I write these lines. The Australian 2nd
Division was ordered to take the Hindenburg Line on the right flank of the
village of Bullecourt. Hard fighting here has, we understand, yielded a little
success. Though only a small segment of the defences have been penetrated, by
6th Australian Brigade, that task has been no easy one and the troops involved
have performed splendidly.
The main
weight of the attacks today has fallen, as throughout the battle, on General
Allenby’s 3rd Army. Once again VI, VII and XVII Corps have all been in action.
VII Corps’ task was to advance in a south-easterly direction. 21st Division had
to capture the village of Fontaine-lès-Croisilles and the ground to the south
of it. This attack, we learn, has been something of a fiasco, as has the attack
on Chérisy by 18th (Eastern) Division, in which 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire
Regiment has taken part. 21st Division seems to have veered off course and run
into 18th Division, which had to alter its course in turn. It looks as if no
progress has been made. Having tried to raise the adjutant of the Bedfords, and
having failed to do so a full report of their actions must wait until tomorrow,
we hope they have not suffered too badly. As I write this word has reached me
that most of the Battalion is still stuck in No Man’s Land unable to advance or
retreat. The attack on 18th Division's left flank by 14th (Light) Division has
also failed and, like those of the other two divisions, has gained no ground.
For three
divisions to fail to take any objectives there must be serious reasons. We are
hearing that the darkness was a major contributory factor, the attacks all
beginning before dawn. The German artillery also seems to have been
particularly destructive and the German counter-attacks, where any ground was
momentarily taken (55th Brigade of 18th Division succeeded, briefly, in occupying
Chérisy), decisive.
North of VII
Corps lies VI Corps with 56th (London), 3rd and 12th (Eastern) Divisions. These
men were to take the factory at Saint-Rohart, a wood called the Bois du Sart
and the village of Pelves. 56th Division achieved some solid success in some
places but once again, we here, in others the enemy artillery caused great
loss, resulting in the division having to retire to its front line once again.
3rd Division's attack, we understand, has had to be undertaken wearing
respirators as the enemy deluged them not only with normal artillery fire but
with poisoned gas shells too. It comes as no surprise, then, that we hear this
attack has also stalled. To 12th Division has fallen, we are led to believe,
the only success of the day, 36th Brigade having managed an advance of about a
quarter of a mile, though the rest of the division could not match it.
XVII Corps
was slated to take Roeux, the chemical works and Greenland Hill, all objectives
which have been outstanding since 10th April. 4th Division attacked Roeux but
it seems that, this evening, it is still held by the enemy. 9th (Scottish)
Division has only two brigades because its South African Brigade is very weak
due to reinforcements being wanting, thus 52nd Brigade from 17th (Northern)
Division was temporarily transferred to 9th Division to replace it. Here again
the attack was unsuccessful and a colleague of mine from Scotland remarked to
me that he fears that one battalion, 6th King’s Own Scottish Borderers has been
all but wiped out.
With only one
brigade of 3rd Army having made any progress we have been waiting to hear news
of 1st Army’s attacks on the northern limits of the battlefield. Here XIII
Corps used 31st Division and 2nd Division to assault the enemy line. 31st
Division assaulted Oppy Wood but seem to have been unable to make consistent
progress, a German counterattack even
managing to recapture Gavrelle windmill before they were driven out. 2nd
Division is very weak in strength and, trying to capture the village of Oppy, was
unsuccessful and is now so reduced in numbers that the phrase “bled white” is
being used.
2nd Division
was to secure the flank of the Canadian Corps which was to take the village of
Fresnoy. In this they succeeded, though at great cost, which meant that the
Canadian attack could take place. Here has been the shining light in a day of
gloom. The splendid Canadians have taken the village and, last we heard, are
still holding it. So another victory has been added to the already extensive
battle honours of the men from North America in this war so far.
Source: X550/8/1
