End of Operations Around Roeux

Thursday 17th May 1917

I am sorry to report that the attack by Gordon Highlanders of 51st (Highland) Division yesterday to regain ground lost by 17th (Northern) Division was not successful. This was an unfortunate ending to a few days which has seen remarkable success in advancing the line into Roeux, its chemical works, chateau and station and this success is all the more creditable for having been begun by a much reduced and very tired unit - 4th Division. The Germans have not shown any desire to conduct new attacks anywhere today, so it is hoped that the fighting around Arras will die down allowing the army to consolidate its gains.

Out in Palestine yesterday evening 1st/5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment sent out a patrol under cover of darkness to select a site suitable as the starting point for an attack by two companies on an area known as The Garden, south of the town, which may take place in the next few days.

Source: X550/6/8

The Capture of Bullecourt

Wednesday 16th May 1917

This morning another attack was mounted on the remains of the village of Bullecourt, including the infamous Red Patch. I am delighted to report that this was achieved by 174th Brigade of 58th (2nd/1st London) Division at the point of the bayonet. There is a general feeling here that, with the problems in the French army and the end of their offensive that that is the finish of any further offensive operations around Arras, though time will tell.

Early this morning the Germans again attacked the Highlanders in and around Roeux and its chemical works. After some initial success these attacks were halted and then reversed and the ruins of Roeux re-taken. Further north they succeeded in capturing the hard-won chemical works and got as far as 300 yards west of the station. Again, however, the advance was stemmed and a counter-attack drove the enemy back, the remnants of the chemical works again being taken. 17th Division, north of the highlanders has lost ground which it is hoped the highlanders will win back this evening, the attack going in soon after I will finish writing this piece.

We have heard news today from Palestine. Yesterday 1st/5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, in front of the Turkish defences at Gaza, had a few things to report. A new enemy battery (about 4.2" calibre said the adjutant), began to register and fired five rounds within a radius of 50 yards of the Battalion Headquarters. One shell pitched onto the bank of earth, known locally as a terrace, heaped in front of one of B Company’s bivouacs on which twelve men were having breakfast at the time. The only casualty was a slight scalp wound caused by a piece of earth. The system of terraces has been found highly satisfactory in getting protection from shell fire. Last evening a patrol led by an officer to within 500 yards of a feature known as the Cactus Hedge found three bodies of our men killed in the Second Battle of Gaza a month ago.

Source: X550/6/8

German Attacks Repulsed

Tuesday 15th May 1917

Today the German Guard made determined attack around Bullecourt. The attacks on 173rd Brigade and 14th Australian Brigade were easily dealt with. 91st Brigade, below strength after recent fighting in Bullecourt lost all that part of the village west of the road to Longatte but managed to keep hold of the eastern portion. Further north the enemy made assault on newly-taken Roeux but were brushed off by the Scots of 51st (Highland) Division.

Following the end of his offensive on the Chemin des Dames and in Champagne General Nivelle has been sacked as the French commander-in-chief and replaced by General Pétain, the hero of Verdun last year. It seems that some, at least, of the rumours about French units refusing to attack are true. It is said that Nivelle had promised a comparatively bloodless offensive but the French have lost as many men as the British and Imperial forces have around Arras, making it a much bloodier attack then foretold. Pétain is not only a hero, and so someone who engenders trust in the average poilu, but a man much happier fighting defensively and it seems that, at the moment, this is all some parts of our ally’s army are capable of doing. On both counts he is clearly the man for the job. This worrying development means that it is unlikely that any further offensive actions of any great extent will take place around Arras; our armies will have to be prepared to counter any German attack designed to exploit perceived weaknesses in our ally’s forces. 

The Fall of Roeux and a regimental Round-Up

Monday 14th May 1917

Readers will remember that yesterday Brigadier-General Cumming of 91st Brigade was relieved of command because his commanding officer did not like his plan of attack on The Red Patch in Bullecourt. An alternative plan was tried by his replacement, which was unsuccessful. Today Cumming’s original plan was used to attack this beastly place. Ironically, it looked for a while as if this plan might actually work. Then a bomb dump being used by the attackers was blown up by an enemy shell and, lacking sufficient ammunition the attacks petered out with nothing achieved.

Our old friends 51st (Highland) Division are in the field again. Having replaced 4th Division in the line, last night they attacked and took Roeux, which had been abandoned by the enemy.

News has reached us from three of the battalions of the Bedfordshire Regiment. Firstly from Palestine: yesterday 1st/5th Battalion remarked on groups of camels seen on the road from Gaza to Beersheba. A nearby brigade of howitzers decided to try their luck, at 6,500 yards range, but their shots fell some 200 yards short.

During the morning a Battalion signaller was mending a line outside a communication trench behind the front line when he was sniped and killed by a Turk some 1,400 yards away(1). At the moment their war seems to be at long range.

The commanding officer of 6th Battalion, Colonel F H Edwards MC has been transferred to Home establishment for three months’ rest. He has been replaced by Lieutenant-Colonel W R Campion, Member of Parliament for Lewes in Sussex(2).

The 8th Battalion, in the front line at Hulluch reports that last night gas was vented along the whole line and sent drifting towards the enemy. Gas bombs were also fired from projectors and then the British artillery bombarded communication trenches to catch men hurrying from the front line with pas poisoning and to the front line expecting an attack. The enemy’s artillery was very feeble in response

Sources: X550/6/8; X550/7/1; X550/9/1

(1) This must have been 200870 Private G Pratt, aged 19, son of Sophia of Pyne Cottages, Chalton near Toddington who is buried at Deir el Belah War Cemetery, twelve miles or so south-west of Gaza.

(2) and later Governor of Western Australia from 1924 to 1931.

More 4th Division Success

Sunday 13th May 1917

A rare thing has, we understand, happened today. The 91st Brigade has been attacking The Red Patch in Bullecourt and that attack has caused a metaphorical casualty on the General Staff. Major-General T H Shoubridge has replaced Brigadier-General H R Cumming with the commanding officer of 21st Battalion, Manchester Regiment, Colonel W W Norman. This seems to have come about because the major-general disagreed with the brigadier’s plan of attack on The Red Patch. The new brigade commander decided on an attack from the south-west rather than the east as Cumming had planned. No progress has been made.

Another attack has been made today by the 4th Division, in conjunction with 17th (Northern) Division, near Roeux. 4th Division have again been completely successful, whereas the other division’s attack met with mixed success, but nevertheless managed an advance of 600 yards north of the road from Fampoux to Plouvain. In the last two days 4th Division, aided by 17th, has taken around five hundred prisoners we are told. From so small a force, however, a “butcher’s bill” of 28 officers and 511 other ranks is steep.

Yesterday evening 3rd Division attacked the enemy front line near the road from Monchy-l3-Preux to Pelves and 12th (Eastern) Division attacked bstween the Monchy to Pelves and the Monchy to Pelves Mill roads. Neither attack seems to have made much headway.

Elsewhere the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment are to move tonight from being in support into the front line near Arleux. This line is not, in fact, continuous trenches but merely a series of pits which are not connected. This is evidently a hastily-constructed position which will be difficult to defend if the Germans attack.

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

The Chemical Works and That Accursed Red Patch

Saturday 12th May 1917

Last evening another attack was made on the chemical works at Roeux. 4th Division was slated for this attack, despite being weak in numbers after the shambles of an attack on 3rd May. Out of a theoretical strength of over 12,000 rifles only 2,444 could be put into the field and these were formed into a makeshift brigade and launched into an assault without reserves. They were, however, aided by a barrage of great strength with ten full brigades of artillery joining in. This attack was completely successful, overrunning chemical works, chateau and station and speaks much for the undaunted spirit of the men who made it.

56th (London) Division also carried out an attack last evening. They seem to have achieved complete surprise and in a dashing attack seized the enemy’s front line from south of the road from Arras to Cambrai to north of it.

Today, once more, Bullecourt has received the army’s attentions. Early this morning, around dawn, 91st Brigade of 7th Division went in to try to capture the whole village. The Australian 15th Brigade was to advance and link up with 91st Brigade at the cross-roads north-east of the village and 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division was to take ground round The Crucifix north-west of The Red Patch.

Alas for expectations! Only some of the plan seems to have been achieved. 2nd Battalion, Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) took its objectives as far as the church but 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment, could make no progress in The Red Patch which, as a wag near me was heard to observe is living up to its name. 62nd Division, we have been told, reached The Crucifix, but were then sent tumbling back to their starting positions. The Australians have taken nearly two hundred prisoners but could not quite meet all their objectives though they have made touch with the Queen’s.

Still, tonight the whole of Bullecourt is in British hands except for the accursed Red Patch. It is expected that tonight some of the Australians will be relieved by 58th (2nd/1st London) Division.

Second Lieutenant Shekury [X550/1/81]

Elsewhere the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment were delighted to hear of more well-deserved decorations. Second Lieutenant Cecil Shekury has been awarded the Military Cross and the Military Medal has been awarded to: 9606 Sergeant R Foster (his second); 8883 Sergeant J. Wheeler; 9757 Acting Sergeant A Thorogood; 9297 Lance Sergeant G Gurney; 21055 Corporal T Williams; 19078 Corporal J Hedge; 9873 Private G Harding; 19167 Private C Furr and 9727 Lance Corporal J Brown(1)

Source: X550/3/WD

(1) Shekury would die on 16th April 1918, Gurney on 22nd March 1918 and Hedge on 21st August 1918

Twentieth Day of the Battle of Arras

Saturday 28th April 1917

Here in the city of Arras we were awakened this morning just before dawn by a roar of artillery as the Great Push resumed. 12th (Eastern) Division of VI Corps was given the task of advancing a short way to ensure that the northern flank of the bulge, or salient, around Monchy-le-Preux was reduced. The results were mixed, some advances being made but some attacking units taking dreadful casualties.

On the XVII Corps front, 34th Division was given the unenviable task of capturing Roeux, taken and then largely lost again by 51st (Highland) Division on Saint George’s Day. Some progress was made and parts of the village entered but a heavy counter-attack drove parts of the division back to its starting lines again. So Roeux, as I write this, still appears to be in enemy hands. This village is acquiring as bloody a name as Thiepval, Guillemont and Ovillers did last summer on the Somme.

37th Division also attacked yesterday, despite the fact that some Battalions had been reduced fro a theoretical strength of around one thousand to about two hundred by the severe fighting a few days ago. The target was again Greenland Hill, between Roeux and Gavrelle. The adjutant of 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, has wired me reporting that they almost gained their objective, but were hit in the flank by fire from the chemical works outside Roeux. From other sources we understand that the Bedfords were probably a long way from their objective, having mistaken a trench about two hundred yards from their starting point for the trench in front of their true objective which lay three hundred yards beyond that. 63rd Brigade of this Division actually managed a breakthrough just west of Fresnes but steady losses from German counter-attacks has forced them to fall back to the road between Gavrelle and Plouvain. Meanwhile 111th Brigade managed to advance its line by about 800 yards up to the Gavrelle to Plouvain road. My colleague Ian McLeod, who is with the 6th Battalion, tells me that the unit has lost 294 men in the attacks at Greenland Hill of whom 51 are dead and 57 missing. In total this month the Battalion has lost so many men that only 58 are fit for duty.

Attacks have also been made north of Arras by 1st Army at Oppy and Arleux. 188th Brigade of 63rd (Royal Naval) Division was given the task of forming a defensive flank for the attack of 2nd Division further north.  4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, was placed under the orders of 188th Brigade but did not go into action, despite the failure of the Brigade to achieve its objectives.

This failure had a serious impact on 2nd Division which had its right flank uncovered (“in the air” in military parlance) as it made its attack. The Division was already seriously under strength - around 3,500 men instead of a full strength figure in excess of 12,000. The Division was to capture the shattered remains of Oppy Wood and the village of Oppy itself beyond it. The attack began from forming up tapes laid by 1st Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers (now known officially as 483rd Field Company, Royal Engineers). 6th Brigade took the wood but were repulsed from the village and then from the wood as well. 5th Brigade made some progress north of the wood and the village. As I write this we believe that both 63rd and 2nd Divisions are to attack again in the next few minutes.

North of these two British divisions is the Canadian Corps which, fresh from its magnificent capture of Vimy Ridge, was given the task of taking the village of Arleux. They succeeded magnificently in their task and the village is now in their hands. These men from the prairies, mountains and wastes of Canada must be regarded as amongst the very best in the World.

Away from the fighting, we have heard that 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment has arrived at the Arras front. They are billeted in what the adjutant described as “Hun trenches” near Neuville-Vitasse and this evening expect to move up to the front line near Chérisy.

Sources: X550/5/3; X550/8/1; WW1/WD3; information from Ian McLeod

The Battle of Arras Begins Again

Monday 23rd April 1917 - Saint George’s Day

After a dormant period lasting eight days the Battle of Arras sprang into life once more today. There have been small, isolated flare-ups during those eight days but today saw the beginning of the second phase of operations with a concerted and widespread attack. Phase One saw VI, VII and XVII Corps making the running, today XIII to the north also joined in the attack. We here in Arras are hearing the fighting today has been gruelling(1)

The day began with a heavy mist from ground which was very wet after snow and rain over the preceding weeks. As the day developed it turned into a bright Spring day, whose beauty belied the grim struggle going on all around. The various objectives were grouped into two lines - the first known as the Blue Line and the second, east of that, known as the Red Line.

VII Corps was instructed to attack downhill towards the River Sensée between Vis-en-Artois and Bullecourt. 33rd Division, on the right flank, gained some ground but could not take all their objectives because the barbed wire was uncut. On their left flank 30th Division, still smarting from its lack of success in the opening phase of the battle, advanced on high ground overlooking the village of Chérisy. The 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, played no part in this attack, as it was in reserve around Neuville-Vitasse. Once again their attack was unsuccessful because enemy artillery rained down on them causing huge casualties. 50th (Norhumbrian) Division ‘s attack failed with heavy casualties. Finally we have just heard that 33rd Division has begun an attack of its own, with what results we do not yet know.

VI Corps to the north of VII Corps occupied a front from Wancourt and Guémappe to the River Scarpe, south-east of Fampoux, with a bulge, or salient, sticking out towards the enemy around the village of Monchy-le-Preux. 15th (Scottish) Division attacked Guémappe and points north. Guémappe fell after hard fighting and the rest of the Division was able to make some progress. Then a German counter-attack drove the Scots out of Guémappe, though the Germans could not occupy it and the battalions north of the village held their ground. 29th Division, on the Scots’ left flank, took most of its objectives.About four o’clock this afternoon, however, the enemy counter-attacked this division also and managed to force its right-hand units back. 17th (Northern) Division’s attack made very little progress, just obtaining a precarious foot-hold in the enemy trenches.

XVII Corps area lay north of the River Scarpe and their attack today was aided by a division of XIII Corps to its north - our old friends the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division, with the 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment to the fore. Only two divisions of XVII Corps made any attack, both of them with local interest - 51st (Highland) Division, our Scottish friends who spent the first months of the war in Bedford, and 37th Division which includes 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.

51st Division were given the task of taking the village of Roeux and its chemical works and station and then moving on to the fortified ridge and Delbar and Hausa Woods. Thanks to the aid of a tank (C7 under Second Lieutenant L Victor Smith) which fired its cannons through the windows of the houses, the Highlanders were able to take Roeux. The chemical works, however, proved resistant to being captured and then the Scots were forced out of most of Roeux apart from its western fringe. Nevertheless the first objective - the Blue Line - had been taken.

37th Division did very good work today - its 111th Brigade capturing both first and second objectives and ended up two hundred yards east of the road from Roeux to Gavrelle, where it could advance no further, 13th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps even managed to reach the road from Gavrelle to Plouvain. 112th Brigade advanced on Greenland Hill, south-east of Gavrelle, thinking that the Germans had fallen back, however, they were frustrated by the failure of 51st Division to take the chamical works outside Roeux, from which fire stopped any advance. The adjutant of 6th Bedfords was able to send me just a brief message that the battalion took part in this attack on Greenland Hill but could go no further than the road from Roeux to Gavrelle, much to his frustration.

63rd (Royal Naval) Division ws allotted the capture of the village of Gavrelle and an advance three hundred yards beyond it. They were well-supplied with artillery for this limited objective, though the wire in front of the village was not well cut. The adjutant of the 4th Bedfords, like his colleague in the 6th Battalion, has had time for little more than a brief message. They attacked at 4.45 a.m. and captured Gavrelle, reaching their first and second objectives. Its third objective, along the railway line from Arras to Douai proved beyond them, however beuase one of the battalions fo the brigade - 7th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, failed to take any of its objectives, expising the Bedfords to murderous fire. No units of the division could advance beyond the village. The Bedfords were shelled very heavily during the day and this afternoon they were counter-attacked by the enemy, an attack which they repulsed. They gave suffered about 260 casualties, around a quarter of their entire strength.

So much for events at Arras. It will be seen that fortunes, as usual, have been mixed - some success, some failure. We may only be able to judge the effectiveness of the attacks today over the coming few days.

North of Arras is the village of Givenchy-en-Gohelle and the town of Avion. 5th Division has attacked in this region today, attempting to capture la Coulotte, despite the fact that wire was uncut and the prospects for success slim. I have just received a report from the adjutant of 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Their attack was no avail and the battalion has suffered terrible casualties - eleven officers, including at least five killed and 320 other ranks. The other battalions in the attack (1st Northumberland Fusiliers, 1st Devonshires and 1st Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry) have suffered correspondingly devastating casualties. Tonight the shattered battalion will withdraw, probably to Cambligneul. An attack further north by 46th Division was also a failure.

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/5/3; X550/7/1

(1) The Official History of the War states: “The fighting of 23rd April is described by more than one participant as the hardest of the War so far”.

Fifth Day of the Battle of Arras

Friday 13th April 1917

Sadly, the attack by 9th (Scottish) Division yesterday evening against the village of Roeux and its chemical works was a complete failure. Some of my colleagues from newspapers “north of the Border” tell me that the men had suffered severely in the last few days from manning the line in the freezing cold and that some of them had to be hauled to their feet and rubbed down by comrades before they could even move. Today their formation, XVII Corps, has taken no part in the fighting.

Today’s fighting has to devolve, once more, upon VI and VII Corps. On the VII Corps front 21st Division was able to bomb a little way down the Hindenburg Line towards Fontaine-les-Croisilles but was then told to desist and the other operations by VI and VII Corps were cancelled due to difficulties in getting fresh divisions to the front line to make the attacks, the roads in one part of the area behind battlefield being choked with withdrawing cavalry.

The adjutant of 1st Battalion has been in touch on the “blower”. The battalion, part of 5th Division, has moved to the village of Villers-au-Bois and senior officers and Company Sergeant Majors have been reconnoitering Vimy Ridge and Givenchy-en-Gohelle.

Source: X550/2/5

Fourth Day of the Battle of Arras

Thursday 12th April 1917

Today the Canadians now down off Vimy Ridge and advancing east, have attacked an annoying enemy position called the Pimple, the only objective not to fall to them on 10th April. All day the battle raged in showers of snow but we have just heard that the position finally fell to the men from the prairies about an hour ago.

Here around the city of Arras the attack begun on 9th continues. Those of us “old hands” who have been reporting on this war from the front line since the beginning of operations on the Somme last July have an uneasy feeling that we have seen this situation before. Often grand set-piece attacks achieve a considerable amount on the first day but then, as our armies try to exploit the initial successes, defences harden, conditions become more difficult and opportunities missed in the first few hours come back to haunt our men over succeeding days. So the scale of successes of 9th April have diminished since then and in some areas, notably the south of the area of operations covered by VII Corps and the Australians, hardly any success has been achieved. Often it is at this point that the battle fragments into a series of strictly local attacks made by groups of men as small as a company or even a platoon rather than a combined, co-ordinated effort by the whole force; pin pricks by tens of men rather than a grand sweep by tens of thousands.

Today VII Corps was given the task of finally making a significant advance. Things began well because 21st Division found that the Hindenburg Line in front of it had been abandoned. In fact this advance meant that 21st Division and 56th (London) Division “joined hands” and 30th Division which had been between them was no longer required and will be replaced by 33rd Division.

Major E S M Poyntz [X550/1/81]

Major Poyntz told me by telephone this evening that 2nd Bedfords are withdrawng to Blaireville. During the last few days the battalion has lost six officers wounded as well as 89 other ranks, including 68 wounded. So ends a very unsatisfactory battle for 30th Division.

Meanwhile 56th Division were able to occupy the villages of Wancourt and Héninel, abandoned by the enemy. Thus VII Corps has reaped the rewards of the good work by VI Corps in the last few days as the Germans in the south fall back to keep the line straight, their compatriots to the north having been driven back by VI Corps.

VI Corps has made no attack today. XVII Corps was given the order to take the village of Roeux and its adjacent chemical works. In order to have time to make a detailed reconnaissance of enemy positions no attack was made today until two hours ago. At 5 pm 9th (Scottish) Division went into the attack. We wait to see what becomes of it.

6th Bedfords, 37th Division, went out of the line today, marching towards Tilloy. My colleague Ian McLeod, the man on the spot, tells me they have suffered 190 casualties, of whom 34 have been killed and 12 are missing in the last four days' fighting at Monchy-le-Preux.

Source: X550/3/WD; information from Ian McLeod