War services of the 62nd West Riding Divisional Artillery

WAR SERVICES OF THE
62nd DIVISIONAL ARTILLERY.

WAR SERVICES

OF THE

62ND WEST RIDING
DIVISIONAL ARTILLERY

BY

Colonel A. T. ANDERSON, C.M.G.

(C.R.H. 62nd Division, 1916-1919,),

Author of "The Field Gunner's Catechism," "A Short History

of Lucknow,"

With a Preface by
Lieut.-General Sir W. P. BRAITHWAITE, K.C.B.

W. HEFFER & SONS LTD.

CAMBRIDGE

1920

TO THE MEMORY OF
OUR FALLEN COMRADES.

"As fighters with unequal lance we met,
Broken I lie,
And yet,
0 Death, art thou the victor or am I ?"

Mary Byron.

CONTENTS

PAGE

Preface -------- vii

CHAPTER I.
The First Advance - i

CHAPTER II.
June to October 1917. Trench Warfare - 20

CHAPTER III.
The Battle of Cambrai 40

CHAPTER IV.
The Great German Offensive 56

CHAPTER V.
With the 5th French Army - - - 80

CHAPTER VI.

The Final Triumph ----- 92

CHAPTER VII.

The Last Phase - - - - - -114

APPENDIX A.

Subsequent Services of the 311TH Brigade 120

APPENDIX B.

Alphabetical List of Officers - 123

APPENDIX C.

List of Officers and Men awarded Decora-
tions or Mentioned in Despatches - 127

Index -_- 137

PREFACE

By Lieut.-General Sir WALTER BRAITHWAITE,

K.C.B.

Colonel Anderson has commenced his interesting
record of the war services of the 62nd Divisional
Artillery in January, 1917. He has, therefore, no word
to say as to how the instrument he commanded so
ably and with such distinction during two strenuous
years of war came to attain the standard of excellence
which the following pages attest.

It was in February, 1916, that Brig.-General
Anderson and Capt. Lindsell, then serving at the Front,
were selected to take over the Command and Brigade-
Majorship respectively of the 62nd Divisional Artillery.

The Division was then at Salisbury Plain, and,
without going into details, I would like to tender my
tribute to the untiring devoted work accomplished by
these two officers in training and fitting for war the
Artillery of the Division I had the honour to command.

They had their reward when the time came that the
instrument they had created was put to the test of war.
It never failed to respond to their touch. The proud
record it established is the best testimony to their
teaching and training.

In the early part of 1917 I was asked to write a
foreword for the Divisional Magazine, and in it I wrote
that, given grit and discipline, there was nothing the
Division could not accomplish. Grit the Yorkshireman

viii PREFACE

has always possessed, discipline he learnt. I might
have added a third desideratum — co-operation.

The event proved, however, that this virtue was not
lacking. It is to these three great qualities I attribute
the success of the Division. The Divisional Artillery
knew that they existed for the purpose of helping the
Infantry. The Infantry knew that they could depend
on the Artillery in all circumstances and under all
conditions.

There are many glorious episodes described in the
following pages, many plain unvarnished tales of
heroism, and much record of what, to the casual reader
unacquainted with the conditions of life " out there,"
may appear to be commonplace drudgery.

All had their place in building up the reputation of
the 62nd Divisional Artillery, and none were more
important than others, or less.

The strain on the horses, the toil of the men in the
never-ceasing " packing " of the ammunition to Mirau-
mont, up the shell-swept road, past Shrapnel Corner,
to the fire-desolated village, had its result and compen-
sation in the advance to Bapaume and the capture of
Achiet-le-Petit and Achiet-le-Grand.

The daily digging, the unceasing work on dug-outs
and gun-positions in Ecoust, and in the Noreuil Valley,
saved many a life and rendered possible the accurate
service of the guns in the Battle of Bullecourt, and in
the subsequent period of holding that much-strafed
line.

The practice in driving and the training in open
warfare found their consummation in that glorious
advance of the batteries to Graincourt.

And then, after a year's hard work, came the first

PREFACE ix

rest. In December, 1917, the gunners came out of the
line for the first time, and hardly knew themselves !

January, 1918, saw the Division back in the line
again in a comparatively peaceful sector with, however,
as always, one bad spot — Bailleul, through which one
never loitered.

But peaceful bits of the line were not the lot of the
62nd Divisional Artillery for long, and in March we
were hurried down to Bucquoy. Here was no line,
peaceful or otherwise, no prepared positions to take
over, but the hurly-burly of battle, and positions to be
chosen where they could be found. But what splendid
targets !

After the battle came a period of holding the line
again, in, I think, the most unpleasant sector we
occupied, of which Essarts was the most unhealthy spot.

Then came a change. A quick train journey to the
South and a rush into battle without time for proper
reconnaissance, but with the willing and ready help of \
French and Italian comrades.

A quick change also to open warfare, and fighting
in dense woods ! But these variations affected not at
all the Divisional Artillery except in so far as it stimu-
lated the interest of officers and men.

The fighting in the Ardre Valley was indeed an
experience we shall all look back upon with pride and
with pleasure.

It was in the thick woods bordering the main road
from Epernay to Rheims that the D.A.C. lost their show
team of roans who fell victims to a bomb in that much
bombed area. I can see now the distress on Fraser's
face when he told me of the casualty. There were
many other gallant four-footed friends who paid the

x PREFACE

toll of war there. If " the men both good and wise "
are right we may yet hope " to give them joyous greeting
when we pass the Golden Gate."

And so we come to the return journey, back again
to the 4th Army Corps. I am glad to say my own
especial pets, a very handsome pair of blacks in " A '
Battery 310 Brigade, survived the bombs, and before
long another battle and the beginning of the glorious end.
Indeed, had we but realised it at the time, the
beginning had come, and we had participated in it, one
of the only four British Divisions which had had the
luck of that honour.

It was shortly after our return from Rheims that I
left the 62nd Division for the 9th Army Corps, so I
cannot speak from actual experience of the thrilling
excitement and glorious successes which the Division
achieved in the 2nd taking of Havrincourt, and in the
other great battles which brought this long war to a
triumphant conclusion. (I left just after the York and
Lancasters made that thrilling bayonet charge in
company with the King's Company of the Grenadier
Guards on the heights near Mory.)

But the story of these culminating triumphs is told
in the pages of this book, and it only remains for me to
offer one or two remarks.

Three things, among others, seem to me to be especially
worthy of note : the endurance of the personnel, the
youth of the officers in command of batteries, the
efficiency of the Territorial gunner and driver.

How often do we see the phrase, " The Infantry were
withdrawn for a rest, the Artillery remaining, as usual,
in the line covering the — th Division."

The periodical reliefs of Divisions hardly affected the

PREFACE xi

gunner at all. It was a marvel to me how the various
Divisional Artilleries managed to " stick it out." A
day or two in the wagon lines now and then seemed all
that was necessary to restore officers and men to full
vigour and activity again. It was a triumph of endur-
ance.

As the war progressed battery commanders became
younger and younger. I remember once congratulating
an officer on gaining command of a six-gun battery — he
had just " put up " his crowns — and making some
remark on his age, to be met with the retort, "I'm not
so very young, Sir, I'm nearly 21."

I wonder what would have been thought of the
prophet who, in 1913, had predicted that batteries
would be commanded in the greatest of all wars by men
of " nearly 21 " !

I well remember, some years before the war, when
the Territorial Force was first evolved, the utter
scepticism expressed of the Territorial ever being able
to be made into a gunner. Infantry yes, but gunners — !
And a distinguished Colonel Commandant R.A., of the
old school, told me, during 1916, that Territorial Force
gunners might be all right during trench warfare, but
that it was absurd to think that Territorial Force
drivers would ever be able to bring the guns into position
in a war of movement. The advance of the batteries
to Graincourt at the Battle of Cambrai, the changes of
position on the Ardre, and 100 other instances prove
the fallacy of such gloomy prognostications.

Properly trained and instructed — and the 62nd
Divisional Artillery was that — Territorial Force gunners
and drivers proved themselves equal to all tasks set
them. Higher praise it is impossible to bestow.

xii PREFACE

In the concluding paragraph of his book, Colonel
Anderson writes of " the brotherhood of officers and
men " and of " steadfast and loyal comradeship."

It was these virtues fostered and encouraged by men
like the writer of this book, David Sherlock, Bedwell,
Gadie, Woodcock, Lindsell, FitzGibbon, and many
others, which enabled the 62nd Divisional Artillery to
triumph over all obstacles, to achieve its deeds of valour,
and to gain its brilliant successes for the glory of England
and to the eternal honour of Yorkshiremen.

WALTER BRAITHWAITE,

Lieut.-General.

(A former Commander of the

62nd (West Riding) Division, T.F.)

February yth, 1920.

Chapter I

THE FIRST ADVANCE

" Come, join in the only battle
Wherein no man can fail,
Where whoso fadeth and dieth
Yet his deed shall still prevail."

William Morris.

On the 23rd December, 1916, the 62nd Division received
orders to embark for France. The artillery, which was
billeted in Northampton, was conveyed from Southamp-
ton to Havre on the 6th and 7th January,
Jan. 1917. 1917, and thence railed to the concentra-
tion area at and around Wavans, near
Auxi-le-Chateau. The weather was of the worst type
that January can give, alternate frost and thaw and
bitterly cold, and we began to experience at once the
distressing conditions of mud and slush, which were to
be so normal a feature in this and the two following
winters in France and Belgium.

On the 17th January the 310th and 312th Brigades
sent off one section per battery by motor lorry to be
attached to the 19th Division, then in the firing line, for
training preliminary to taking over finally their part of
the line. It was a snowy, uncomfortable sort of day,
and the lorries were, as so often happened, late in
arriving, with the result that the detachments did not
get started on their journey till about 3 p.m., and

2 WAR SERVICES

arrived at their destination after dark. Sections from
the 311th Brigade followed the next day.

On the 23rd the Divisional Artillery marched to
Auteuil and Amplieu, and remained in billets there for
the next few days, the headquarters being at Bus-les-
Artois. The first gunner casualty took place on the
24th, a gunner of the 312th Brigade being wounded on
that day while attached to the 19th Division.

The next few days were spent by the Staffs of Head-
quarters and Brigades in inspecting the positions to be
occupied by batteries in the neighbourhood of Courcelles,
Mailly-mailly, Colincamps, and Engelbelmer, and in
reconnoitring the observation posts on the high ground
north of Beaumont Hamel. This village, like so many
that we were now to become acquainted with, had been
so thoroughly destroyed by shell fire, our own and that
of the enemy, that one might easily have passed through
it without realising that there had ever been a village
there. All the ground in its neighbourhood was so
deeply pitted with shell craters that it was almost
impossible for a foot passenger even to find a pathway
through them, there being rarely more than an inch or
two of the original ground between each. The mud
was, moreover, indescribable, and there was not only a
risk of being badly bogged, but cases even occurred of
men being engulphed and drowned in the viscous mud
of a shell crater, and two of our artillery horses lost their
lives in this way.

On the night of the 1st February the 310th Brigade,
and one battery of the 311th, went into
Feb. 1917. action near Auchonvillers and Engel-
belmer, and a few days later helped to
support an attack by the 63rd Division, when the enemy

THE FIRST ADVANCE 3

was driven out of a part of the Pusieux trench and
thereby forced to evacuate Grandcourt.

On the 10th the same batteries supported the
32nd Division in a successful assault on Ten Tree Alley ;
on this occasion we had the first casualty among
our officers, Capt. H. C. Lasbrey being severely
wounded.

The remainder of the batteries took over their positions
in action from the 7th Division on the nth and 12th
February, as did our infantry during the following two
days ; and on the 15th I took over the artillery command.
After a period of intense cold, during which the tempera-
ture fell below zero one night, a thaw set in this day,
and the mud difficulty again became acute. Early on
the 17th the 63 rd Division on our immediate right
attacked and captured the Swan trench north of Grand-
court, taking about 100 prisoners. The 311th Brigade
did good work in this successful little operation, and I
got a special message of thanks for their help from the
G.O.C. 2nd Corps.

Arrangements were now in progress for a fresh attack,
and, new positions having being selected on the western
outskirts of Beaumont Hamel, the first sections of all
the batteries moved into them on the 21st. The re-
mainder was preparing to follow when, on the morning
of Saturday, the 24th February, our patrols discovered
that the enemy had vacated his line. The 5th Corps,
to which we belonged, at once began a cautious advance,
and on the 25th had occupied Serre and Miraumont,
while the Division on our right pressed on into Pys.
Strenuous efforts, which none who took part in them are
likely to forget, were now made to push forward the
guns, although the one road through Beaucourt to

4 WAR SERVICES

Miraumont was all but impassable. Officers and men
worked with a will, and by the 28th all batteries were
in action at the Bois d'Hollande and Baillescourt, while
one section of the Ammunition Column was advanced
to the neighbourhood of Hamel. Major R. C. Williams
was wounded on this date, and had to leave us, a great
loss to the Divisional Artillery.

It was now established that the Boche was holding
the line Bucquoy — Achiet-le-Petit — Loupart, and it
became necessary to advance the guns to closer range.
Positions were accordingly reconnoitred in and around
Miraumont, and every endeavour was made to occupy

them as quickly as possible. By the 3rd
March 1917. of March most of the batteries were in

their new positions, and the front
infantry line on that date ran along the dry ditch from
the East of Pusieux to the railway line about a mile
N.E. of Miraumont. During the next week the forward
move was completed in the face of indescribable diffi-
culties. On the 3rd March, Lieut. H. A. Sabelli, and on
the 5th Lieut. E. W. Jephson, were wounded, and two
more officers were hit on the 6th, Lieuts. R. Holburn
and J. Macllroy. Major Swain had a fortunate escape ;
when his battery got into Miraumont he took up Ms
quarters in a German dug-out, which boasted the luxury
of a fireplace. His servant was about to light a fire,
when Swain told him that he needn't bother about it
that night. Next morning the man was laying the fire
when he noticed a bit of wire ; closer investigation
showed a length of quick-match fastened to the wire and
leading to a hole under the dug-out, in which was packed
sufficient explosive to have blown the whole place sky-
high. On the 5th, Divisional Headquarters moved to

THE FIRST ADVANCE 5

Engelsart, a hutted camp between Engelbelmer and
Martinsart.

Miraumont was a particularly dangerous and un-
pleasant spot ; the Bosche kept it continually under
shell-fire, and also bespattered freely the one road which
formed our communication with it. This road ran for
over half-a-mile in full view of the enemy, and was in
such a shocking state of disrepair that all ammunition
had to be brought up on pack saddles, each horse or mule
carrying eight rounds. The country on each side was
such a slough of despond that it was generally impossible
for pack animals to leave the road, and as all movements
had to take place at night, the ammunition supply was
a very serious problem. At least 4000 rounds were
required for daily consumption, and I find in my diary
that 1600 horse loads were sent up on the night of the
4th, in batches of 25 animals at ten minutes interval,
and that only one man was hit in the process, although
the road was constantly under fire. There was very
little rest for any of the drivers, whether of the D.A.C.
or of the batteries, and their zeal, endurance, and good
temper were beyond all praise.

Just before the road enters Miraumont a sunken road runs to
the left, honeycombed with dug-outs and occupied by one of our
Infantry Brigade Headquarters ; and on the right a steep path
leads down into the valley. Here the three Colonels have their
precarious shelters ; sometimes things may be quiet for a short
breathing space — more often they are just the reverse. On the
nth, all through the afternoon, and right on through the night,
shells were exploding in this part of the valley on an average of
one every two minutes. Not much damage was done, but the
strain of it may be imagined on the nerves of those who have to
live there without any adequate cover. The village is utterly
destroyed, but has not disappeared. Walls and ruins still stand,

6 WAR SERVICES

sometimes as high as ten feet or so, and the streets are distin-
guishable. But it is not good to linger in them. Almost un-
ceasingly in one part or another of the skeleton village shells
scream and crash, raking the streets with bullets and splinters,
and hurling bricks and beams in every direction. Here are to be
found Swain's, Foot's, Bigg's, Arnold Forster's, Hudson's, and
Robinson's batteries, the others being outside in the scarcely
less dangerous outskirts of the village.

During the fighting in Miraumont, the losses in the
Artillery amounted to 6 officers (Capt. F. H. Seeman
gassed, in addition to those already mentioned) and
about 70 other ranks, while a great many horses and
mules were killed ; nine guns were knocked out by
Artillery fire. The strain on officers and men was very
great; and although the latter were able to get some
slight respite from danger, though not from hard work,
by taking an occasional spell at the wagon lines, it was
difficult to give any relief to the officers. I therefore
started an experiment which was a great success for the
short time in which it was possible for it to remain in
operation. One of the less ruined houses in Mailly-
mailly was commandeered and roughly fitted up as a
rest house in charge of one of the trench mortar officers,
the mortars not yet having been brought into action.
It was arranged that three officers at a time should be
accommodated here for a clear three days and nights,
during which they would have nothing to do but take
it easy and recoup themselves, away from the noise and
stress of battle. The change was greatly appreciated
by the few officers who were able to avail themselves of
it before a further advance put an end to the scheme.

Irles was captured by the 18th Division, supported
by our artillery, on the 10th March, and on the 14th
the enemy was driven out of Grevillers and Loupart

THE FIRST ADVANCE 7

Wood. A plan of attack on Achiet-le-Petit was now
drawn up, to take place at dawn on the 18th. Our
preliminary bombardment, however, which began on
the 16th and went on through the night, was too much
for the Boche, and on the morning of Saturday the 17th
March our infantry patrols entered the village and found
it unoccupied. News came through the day of further
successes. Bapaume had fallen, and Bucquoy, Bief-
villers and Bihucourt were all in our possession. Hopes
ran high, and there was general excitement and delight.
Once more the batteries were ordered to push on as
quickly as possible, and they moved forward into
positions close to Achiet-le-Petit. The 7th Division
now passed through us, and for a short time the 62nd
Division ceased to take an active part in the fighting,
though still continuing to advance. Advanced guards
occupied Courcelles and Gomiecourt on the 18th, and
the Lucknow Cavalry Brigade pressed on further and
hung on to the heels of the retreating enemy. On the
21st, D/312 advanced at dawn and joined the 7th
Division advanced guard at Ervillers, to help them in an
attack on Croisilles, which the Boche was still holding.
On this occasion we had our first officer killed, Lieut.
C. W. Pullan ; a shell burst in the observation post
near St. Leger, from which he was gallantly directing the
fire of his battery. A/312 and C/312 went into action
the same day between Ervillers and St. Leger, also with
the 7th Division, while the 310th Brigade remained in
positions of readiness near Logeast Wood.

The 311th Brigade was withdrawn from the line on
the 22nd March, on being converted into an Army
Brigade, and marched from Engelbelmer on the 24th,
en route for an area in the North. It was with great

8 WAR SERVICES

regret that I said farewell to this most efficient brigade,
which, under the able command of Lieut. -Colonel A.
Gadie, had done consistently good service, and had
always given evidence of the finest fighting spirit under
the most trying conditions.

On the 27th March the 310th Brigade moved up into
action in support of the 7th Division before Croisilles,
and were followed four days later by B/312, so that all
batteries were then again active.

On the 1st April, Divisional Headquarters moved to
Achiet-le-Grand, and next day, to the
April 1917. accompaniment of a blizzard of snow,
the 7th Division captured the villages of
Croisilles and Ecoust, supported by the 62nd Divisional
Artillery in addition to their own guns. In this fight
Lieut. E. W. F. Jephson was awarded the Military Cross
for the following act of gallantry : —

" On the 2nd April, 1917, during an attack on Ecoust,
this officer was sent forward with an orderly to recon-
noitre for an O.P. On his way forward two runners of
the Gordon Highlanders were fired at by a German
sniper in a post. One was shot dead. The other
runner, Lieut. Jephson, and orderly procured bombs
from some wounded men, and crept up to the post from
behind some fallen trees, and bombed the sniper,
severely wounding him. Lieut. Jephson then went on
through Ecoust with the orderly, when he discovered
sniping from his right rear. He then returned another
way and saw three Germans running into a cellar, which
he approached. After he had fired some revolver shots
into the cellar, they came out when ordered. One of
these prisoners was taken off as a guide to the infantry,
the other two being brought back by Lieut. Jephson.

THE FIRST ADVANCE 9

He did good work at the O.P. previous to moving forward
out of Ecoust."

The enemy was now firmly posted in his much adver-
tised Hindenburg Line, and as he showed every intention
of holding on to it after his long retreat, it became
necessary to get all batteries forward to within about
2500 yards range, in order to start wire cutting. The
Ecoust valley area was apportioned to my artillery, and
the batteries began to occupy positions there on the
3rd April. This was a work of great difficulty and
danger as the approaches were in view of the enemy,
and the positions themselves were barely concealed.
As the first section of B/312 were coming into action a
shell completely knocked out one of the detachments,
killing five men and wounding three.

On the 5th our infantry again went into the line, and I
took over command of the artillery, which included,
in addition to my own brigades, the 7th D.A., the 16th
R.H.A. Brigade, and an Anzac Brigade. That afternoon
a mine exploded in Mory, killing one and wounding two
of my men, and also wounding some artillery mules.
In the evening a similar mine went off in Ervillers with
disastrous effect, killing five and wounding seven men
of D/312. These mines, which we often met with later,
were worked by a corrosive acid, acting on a wire holding
a spring hammer ; when the acid had eaten through the
wire, which might be within a period ranging from a few
hours to several weeks, according to the relative strengths
of the acid and the wire, the hammer struck a detonator,
and the mine exploded ; a typically Hunnish method
of warfare.

For the next few days guns were actively employed in
wire cutting, and the enemy responded by a vigorous

lo WAR SERVICES

shelling of the valley. Capt. J. Willey and 14 men of
B/310 were wounded on the 7th, and between the 6th
and the 9th three other officers were hit, Major F. A.
Arnold Forster, and Lieuts. P. K. B. Reynolds and
H. C. Ashby. Five Military Medals were awarded for
gallant work on these days.

On the 9th April the Third and First Armies on our
left began a big forward movement, to be known as the
Battle of Arras, and by the evening of the 13th they
were in possession of the Vimy Ridge and the whole
of the Wancourt branch of the Hindenburg Line, and
had taken about 16,000 prisoners, together with a large
number of guns and mortars. Our share in the opera-
tions was to make holding attacks and to keep as many
of the enemy as possible glued to our front. One of the
trench mortar batteries, V/62, was lent to the 51st
Division, and took part in the capture of the Vimy
Ridge. On the last day of the battle C/312 suffered
heavily, losing the Sergeant-Major, three Sergeants,
and four other ranks killed, eight men wounded and
four guns knocked out.

Capt. G. L. C. Hudson was wounded on the 13th,
and Lieut. K. B. Nicholson on the 14th ; the latter
officer was awarded the Military Cross for the following
services :

" On the 13th April, 1917, Lieut. K. B. Nicholson
entered a dug-out in which both a gas shell and a high
explosive shell had burst, and bravely attempted to
save the men inside. Later on in the day, though
suffering from the effects of the gas, he went to the O.P.
with the Battery Commander, and while under heavy
shell fire volunteered to go back over the wire, thereby
keeping up communication with the battery. The

THE FIRST ADVANCE n

following day, while still suffering from the gas, he again
repaired to the O.P. under heavy gas fire, remaining there
until he was finally wounded in the head by a fragment
of high explosive shell. By his actions on the days
under review this gallant officer showed a fine example
of devotion to duty."

Our casualties in the artillery up to this date amounted
to 14 officers and about 150 other ranks.

My command was now largely increased, with a view
to further operations, by the addition of the nth and
the 58th Divisional Artilleries, which went into action
near St. Leger and Ecoust respectively. This brought
the artillery with the 62nd Division to a strength of
180 18-pounder guns and 48 howitzers.

Early on the 15th the Huns made a determined
counter-attack against the Australian Division on our
right. At first it was completely successful ; the
enemy broke through as far as Noreuil and Lagnicourt,
and for a short time was actually in possession of two
brigades of the Australian artillery. At about 8 a.m.,
however, the Anzacs made a magnificent recovery, and
hurled the enemy back to his original line, retaking their
guns and capturing about 400 prisoners. Over a
thousand German corpses were left on the field. While
all this was going on my batteries were subjected to
heavy shell fire, and suffered many casualties. In one
of the batteries of the 58th Division the losses were
particularly severe, three officers being killed and one
wounded. I sent one of the brigades of the nth
Division to reinforce the Anzacs directly the attack
commenced, and this was retained after the battle, and
therefore left my command.

On the 16th Lieut. -Colonel F. A. Woodcock arrived

12 WAR SERVICES

to command the D.A.C. vice Lieut. -Colonel F. Mitchell,
who had gone to England.

For some time past the weather had been very
inclement, and the unvarying cold and damp, added
to the strain of heavy work and constant danger night
and day, was having its inevitable effect on the physical
powers, though not on the fighting spirit, of the officers
and men behind the guns ; and, it should be added, of
the officers and men of the D.A.C, whose work in these
operations had been of a most strenuous and perilous
nature.

The men fall asleep while working at the guns. For nine or
ten weeks now they have worked without a rest, and it is a
question whether human endurance can go much further. They
fire day and night, and when not firing they are staggering
through the mud carrying up ammunition ; they have no
shelter except what they can dig in the ground, and no sooner
have they dug a resting place than the batteries have to move
to a fresh position. And the weather is beyond words abomin-
able. If it isn't raining it's snowing, and it's impossible to keep
anything dry ; nothing but cold, squalor, and hideous discomfort.
And yet they stick it out with the utmost courage and cheer-
fulness, and fight splendidly.

It was impossible to relieve the artillery as a whole, but
as it was now decided to make no serious attack for at
least a fortnight, I obtained authority to keep 50 per
cent, of my command at rest in the wagon lines during
this period, and this measure did something to relieve
the strain. The horses, too, had suffered severely ;
about five per cent, had been killed, and ten per cent,
had died of over work and debility, twenty per cent, hav-
ing been sent away for the same reason. As the
Veterinary authorities, who naturally knew more of the
condition of the animals than of the circumstances

THE FIRST ADVANCE 13

which had brought them into so low a state, showed a
disposition to attribute the state of affairs to indifferent
horsemastership, I was glad when the Army Commander,
Sir H. de la P. Gough, inspected my wagon lines on the
21st April. He expressed himself as perfectly satisfied
with all he saw, and was most cordial and pleasant. It
was a great relief to Brigade and Battery Commanders,
who had been much harassed during a time of great
anxiety by the criticisms referred to above, to know that
the Army Commander had now seen for himself that
everything possible was being done.

For the rest of the month little occurred of special
interest ; preparations were being made for a further
attack against the Hindenburg Line, and meanwhile
the now familiar form of trench warfare was carried on
from trenches about 200 yards apart. The Ecoust
Valley was still a far from healthy spot, though batteries
improved their cover day by day by incessant building
and digging ; and at times the Boche turned his atten-
tion to the wagon lines as well. On the 18th the 310th
lines were badly shelled, when two men were killed and
seven wounded, and several horses were lost. Lieut.
G. P. Senior was wounded (gassed) on the 24th, and on
the 28th four more officers were hit, Lieuts. C. T.
Lutyens, S. C. Ball, R. Forrest, and J. W. Proctor.
Five Military Medals were awarded during this period,
and the Military Cross was gained by Lieut. J. C. F.
Nowill.

" On the evening of the 26th April, 1917, near Ecoust,
the camouflage covering a large ammunition dump at
the battery position was set ablaze by hostile shell fire.
Lieut. Nowill, single-handed, removed the burning mass
from the dump and extinguished it, at very great

i4 WAR SERVICES

personal danger from the burning ammunition which
was exploding in large quantities. By his gallantry and
prompt action he undoubtedly stopped the explosions
from spreading through the whole dump."

On the 25th, Lieut. -Colonel G. R. V. Kinsman, D.S.O.,
left, much to the regret of us all, to take up the duty of
Artillery Instructor at Shoeburyness ; he was succeeded
by Lieut. -Colonel D. J. C. Sherlock, D.S.O.

Now, and afterwards, efforts were constantly being
made by which to vary the monotony of trench warfare,
and to make things more lively for the Huns ; as an
example, I select the following instance. On the 27th
April, at a given time, two howitzer batteries put
" stops " on selected portions of the enemy's support
line about 200 yards apart. Then on the trench thus
enclosed three batteries opened a rapid fire of gas and
smoke shell, the object being to smoke the occupants
out of their dug-outs. After five minutes of this
treatment two more batteries opened with shrapnel
on the only trench which could be. used by the enemy if
he tried to escape to the rear — this, of course, in the
hope of getting some of them as they retired. The
whole thing went off like clockwork, and the fire was
most accurate. As to the amount of damage done, that
must remain a matter of conjecture, as it was impossible
to see into the trenches. In this case, as always in
such experiments, one could but hope for the best.

All arrangements having been made for an attack

on Bullecourt under an artillery barrage,

May 1917. Divisional Headquarters moved up on the

2nd May to an advanced position north of

Ervillers. The attack was launched early on the 3rd

as part of a big operation in which altogether fourteen

THE FIRST ADVANCE 15

divisions took part. Our infantry advanced under a
barrage at 3.45 a.m., and broke through the Hindenburg
Line at Bullecourt. The enemy was, however, in great
strength, and his position was an extraordinarily
formidable one. Although our men managed to get
through and beyond the village, they were then checked
by numerous machine guns firing from concrete em-
placements, and were finally forced back again through
Bullecourt by a strong counter-attack. The Division
suffered very heavy losses, and the results of the battle
did not come up to our high expectations ; but, none
the less, substantial progress had been made, and at the
end of the action we were able to hold on to and con-
solidate a good slice of the village of Bullecourt, together
with about 2000 yards of the Hindenburg front line to
the east of it. It was hard that our first battle should
have been so costly in life and so apparently unfruitful
in results, but our sorely tried infantry had proved their
mettle, and had shown that magnificent spirit in the face
of appalling odds which, in the Homeric battles which
were still to come, was so often to spur them on to
victory.

Lieut. C. Punchard was wounded (gas) on the 7th,
and Lieuts. G. H. Kitson and C. V. Montgomery were
wounded on the 12th and 13th respectively.

On the 14th May there was a readjustment of the
line, the 7th Division taking over the Bullecourt front
and the Hindenburg trench to the South-East, while
the 62nd Division became responsible for the sector from
Bullecourt for about 2400 yards to the North- West.
This entailed a general shuffle of the artillery, my own
brigades coming under the 7th Division, while the guns
of the 7th remained under my command. On this same

■/

16 WAR SERVICES

night the 310th Brigade was subjected to a more than
usually heavy bombardment ; over two thousand gas
shells fell among the batteries, and we lost five gunners
killed, and about 12 wounded. On the 15th, Lieuts.
A. J. Edwards and E. W. Jephson were wounded, the
latter for the second time.

On the 16th May, Lieut. -Colonel E. P. Bedwell left
the Division, invalided home. His services had been
invaluable, and I fully shared the sorrow which all
ranks of his brigade felt at his departure. He had
trained and commanded this brigade, the 312th, from
the earliest days of its formation, and might fairly claim
to have made it ; it must have been a great satisfaction
to him to see how well its performances in France had
repaid his care. I am glad to say that he recovered his
health and was able to take his place again in the
fighting line later on, though not in the 62nd Division.
Major F. H. Lister took over the command of the
brigade, with the acting rank of Lieut. -Colonel.

Both sides now settled down to deliberate trench

warfare, a state of things which entailed constant work

of a dangerous and harassing nature, but which furnished

few outstanding incidents of sufficient interest to be

chronicled. On the 26th May a sad disaster occurred

in D/312 Howitzer Battery. The camouflage over one

of the howitzers caught fire and blazed up. It was

merely a question of a few moments when the flames

should reach the ammunition and cause a terrible

explosion, but there was a slight chance of the fire being

put out in time, and Capt. H. B. Gallimore, who was

temporarily commanding the battery, with Lieut. G.

Hardy and a party of N.C.O.'s and men, made a gallant

attempt to extinguish the flames. Unfortunately their

THE FIRST ADVANCE 17

efforts were vain, and there was a tremendous explosion.
Poor Gallimore was killed, and also ten others (including
all the six " Numbers One " of the battery), while
Hardy was dangerously wounded, and also five gunners
more or less severely. The loss of two such officers and
six of the most valuable N.C.O.'s was a very serious
blow to D/312, but the splendid act of devotion, in
which they sacrificed their brave young lives, conferred
a lustre not only on their own battery, but on the whole
of the Divisional Artillery, and will not soon be for-
gotten. Hardy, unhappily, died of his wounds on the
28th.

The casualties in the artillery up to this date had
been :

3 officers and 72 other ranks killed.

23 officers and 256 other ranks wounded.

On the 29th May our infantry was withdrawn from
the line for a rest, and I therefore ceased to command
the artillery tactically ; it remained in the line in support
of the 58th Division.

It was a great disappointment to me that the artillery
could not be withdrawn for a rest after all its strenuous
work since coming into action. The promise of rest in
the near future had long been dangled before our eyes,
but the plain fact was that guns could not be spared from
the firing line, and although the Commander-in-Chief,
in a confidential circular issued about this time, showed
that he " fully realised the untiring energy of the
artillery during the first half of the year," still he was
unable to hold out any hopes of relaxation, and could
only " rely upon all ranks to continue their good work
ungrudgingly." His reliance was well founded, for all
ranks accepted the situation loyally, and learned now,

18 WAR SERVICES

and I may add for the rest of the war, to do without
rest, and to " stick it " somehow or other even when it
might have been trulv said that

'o1

" there was nothing in them
" Except the will that said to them, Hold on."

I think that all realised the impossibility of reducing
the number of guns in front of the enemy, and one
scarcely ever heard a word of grumbling, but it is well
that the fact should be placed on record that the
artillery practically never got a rest. Their work was
not perhaps so much in the public eye as that of their
gallant comrades in the infantry, nor did they experience
as a rule the same extremes of danger, but it should be
remembered that, while the latter were periodically
withdrawn from the danger zone after about eight days
in the trenches to rest billets miles behind the firing line,
the men behind the guns endured the dirt and discomfort
of the trenches for months at a time, were never safe
day or night from hostile shell fire, and were constantly
hard at work. Only perhaps those who have actually
served in a battery in war-time can realise the amount
of hard work and nerve strain involved in keeping up
even the normal programme of day and night firing, the
map readings and calculations to be worked out by the
officers in a damp dug-out by the light of a guttering
candle, the long spells of duty to be endured by the
weak gun detachments always under strength through
sickness and casualties, the heart-breaking and back-
breaking labours of keeping up the ammunition supply,
and with it all the constant sense of an ever-brooding
danger. That all sorts and conditions of men should
have endured this kind of existence for several years,

THE FIRST ADVANCE 19

cheerfully and without a murmur, seems to me a more
wonderful phenomenon than even the most dramatic
act of individual gallantry.

The following honours were announced on the 30th
May:—

Major G. Fleming, Legion of Honour.
Major G. A. Swain, Croix de Guerre.

Chapter II

JUNE TO OCTOBER, 1917. TRENCH WARFARE

" The thundering line of battle stands,

And in the air Death moans and sings."

Julian Grenfell.

In the next few weeks trench warfare pursued its
monotonous course — long periods, as it has been aptly
said, of unutterable boredom varied by moments of

inexpressible terror— but June was, on
June 1917. the whole, the quietest month the Division

had in France. On the 15th the Divisional
Headquarters at Achiet-le-Grand was shelled by a
15-inch gun firing from a range of about 20 miles. Two
or three shells burst within 50 yards of our mess,
but the only casualties were one of my clerks and my
Reconnaissance Officer Anderson's servant, both slightly
wounded. On the 19th orders came for the Division
to go into the line again, relieving the 20th Division on
the front opposite Riencourt and Queant, a side slip of a
mile or two to the right of our old position. The
artillery were all in their new positions by the 22nd, on
which date I reassumed command, moving my head-
quarters to the Monument Camp on the Sapignies-
Bapaume road.

TRENCH WARFARE 21

I received the following letter from the G.O.C.R.A.
58th Division : —

" The B.G.R.A. 58th Division wishes to express his
gratitude and appreciation to all ranks of the 62nd
Divisional Artillery, whom he has had the honour to
have under his command during the past month.

" Despite heavy shelling of their positions and
continual firing night and day, they have never failed
to respond quickly and efficiently to every call which
he has made upon them, and it has been largely due to
their excellent and energetic shooting that the operations
which have just concluded have attained the measure
of success which has come their way.

" All ranks of the 58th Divisional Artillery unite in
thanking the 62nd Divisional Artillery for all their help,
and wish them the best of luck.

E. J. R. PEEL,

Brig.-General."

The 310th Brigade were now in positions in the
Noreuil Valley, which had been given not inaptly the
name of the Valley of Death, and the 312th in the
neighbourhood of Lagnicourt. Early in the morning
of the 25th they supported a successful little raid made
by our infantry on the Boche front line south of Rien-
court. No prisoners were taken unfortunately, but
the infantry found several dead bodies, killed by our
artillery fire.

We now began to get the trench mortars into action.
Up till this time they had not had much chance of prov-
ing their value, although the personnel had done much
useful work in helping the D.A.C. with the ammunition
supply. They were now to take up their legitimate
role in the front trenches.

22 WAR SERVICES

On the 26th D/312 underwent a severe shelling, but
although two howitzers were badly hit, no men were
hurt.

About this time I used often to go round the O.P.'s
in my spare time, and to test the quickness of the
different batteries in getting off a round on a trial call
of S.O.S. I considered it distinctly good if a battery
opened fire within 40 seconds of getting the call, but as
time went on most of them became extraordinarily
quick to answer, and I well remember my satisfaction
when, during a walk round the O.P.'s in company with
General Benson, Commanding the 5th Corps Artillery,
we tried a few S.O.S. tests, and one of my batteries got
off the answering round in 17 seconds. I think that
the record time was nine seconds, the battery that
reached it being C/310, then in position in the Noreuil
Valley.

On the 2nd July I was returning from one of these
tours, and, calling on my way back at the
July 1917. 310th Brigade Headquarters, which were
then in a sunken road just N.W. of Noreuil,
I found that a few minutes before my arrival a 4.2-inch
shell had penetrated and burst inside a small shelter in
the trench, killing four men and wounding three — all,
of my special little R.A.R.E. company. The place was
a shambles when I went into it. It was a particularly
distressing affair, as there was a good and equally handy
dug-out just beside the one that had suffered, fit to
withstand any number of 4.2-inch shells ; and these
poor fellows had selected a place with no more protection
than a corrugated iron roof.

I have not mentioned the R.A.R.E. company before.
It was an unauthorised formation, not to be found, that

TRENCH WARFARE 23

is to say, in any official manual, and was made up of
eight sappers from the Divisional R.E., together with
about ten men from each brigade and from the D.A.C.
The company was thus brought up to an establishment
of about 40 men, and was commanded by a Royal
Engineer officer. We called it the R.A.R.E. Company,
and its duties were to supervise generally the work of
building gun emplacements, stables, shelters, dug-outs,
etc., and to carry out itself any works demanding skilled
labour. I was most fortunate in being given the services
of Lieut. E. B. Hammond, M.C., R.E., as its first
commander. He took the keenest interest in his work
and inspired all his men with his own zeal and energy ;
and his cheery personality, and unfailing tact and good
humour ensured him a warm welcome from every
battery he visited, and the cordial co-operation, more-
over, of those who, at the inception of the scheme, might
have been inclined to resent the taking away of even a
few men from their depleted batteries. It did not take
long to convince any such doubters of the immense
utility of this small body of men. From working with
the eight skilled sappers, the gunners and drivers
furnished from the brigades gradually became skilled
workers themselves, and the company proved such an
invaluable addition to my command from this date until
the final breaking up of the division in the Army of
Occupation, that I do not know how the D.A. could
ever have got on without it. It was a great blow when
Hammond left us in January, 1918, on appointment as
Adjutant R.E., but our luck still held good, and the
work was carried on most efficiently by Lieut. C. L.
Clarson, M.C., his successor.

On the 5th July Lieut.-Colonel Lister left the Division

24 WAR SERVICES

on appointment to the Staff at G.H.Q., and was succeeded
in command of the 312th Brigade by Lieut. -Colonel
A. T. Lough, who joined on the 9th.

Major-General W. P. Braithwaite, our Divisional
Commander, inspected the D.A.C. on the 7th. The
General always took the greatest interest in his artillery,
and was a constant visitor to one or other of the units,
and I only mention this particular occasion because I
noted at the time, and well remember, what a really
splendid turn-out we saw that day. I don't believe
there was a better ammunition column in France.
Lieut. -Colonel Woodcock, though not an old Regular
officer himself, shared to the full the conviction held by
most Regulars, that the smartest and best turned out
troops are almost invariably the hardest workers and
the best fighters, that in fact the one virtue leads
automatically to the other. He had the happy knack,
too, of getting the last ounce of work out of his sub-
ordinates without any unpleasantness in the process.
In writing a record of artillery work it is inevitable that
the performances of the batteries which do the actual
fighting should come in for more frequent mention than
the less showy, but equally indispensable and arduous,
services of the D.A.C. Let me take this opportunity,
therefore, of recording that the 62nd D.A.C. never
failed me. As the war went on the daily expenditure
of ammunition grew greater and greater, and at times
the demands made on the column seemed almost im-
possible of fulfilment. Yet I can recall no instance
when the amount of ammunition required was not
punctually to hand. Colonel Woodcock was fortunate
in his three Section Commanders, Captains Fraser,
Kewley, and (for the greater part of the war) Edmondson.

TRENCH WARFARE 25

They were always cheery and willing, however difficult
and depressing the circumstances might be, and they
infected the N.C.O.'s and men under their command
with the same spirit of cheeriness and good- will.

At about this date the 5th Corps Staff left, and was
replaced by that of the 6th, to which corps we conse-
quently now belonged.

Lieut. J. A. Brown was wounded on the 7th, and
Lieut. R. L. Pickard on the nth July.

V/62 (Trench Mortar Battery), which had recently
gone into action near Bullecourt, took part in
some successful minor operations towards the end
of July, at Hargicourt and Epehy, with the 34th
and 35th Divisions respectively, and had three men
wounded.

During the second half of July the activity of the
hostile artillery increased considerably. On the 17th
three officers were wounded, Lieuts. H. C. O. Lawrie,
E. H. Vanderpump, and T. B. Wills, and three guns of
B/310 were put out of action. On the next day the
Noreuil Valley again came in for a severe shelling,
chiefly directed on the advanced section of A/310, which
had one of its guns knocked out, but no casualties in its
personnel.

The Army Commander, Sir Julian Byng, visited some
of the batteries in the right sector on the 19th, and also
one or two of the O.P.'s. He expressed himself as much
pleased with all he saw.

On the 22nd A/312 was heavily shelled in its position
just west of Lagnicourt, and had two guns put out of
action. C/312 was bombarded the same night for
several hours in the village of Morchies ; not much
harm was done, but the guns were shifted next day to a

26 WAR SERVICES

garden in the village which afforded better cover from
the view of the Boche observation balloons. Morchies
showed signs of having once been as pretty a village
as could be seen in France, and must have been a
charming spot before the Boche left his obscene trail
there. At this time it was a shameful ruin, wantonly
and brutally destroyed by the Huns when they retired
through it a few months before. The numerous fruit
trees had all been barked or uprooted, and most of the
destruction in the village, both indoors and out, had
obviously been done purposely and malignantly, and
not by our, or the enemy's, shell fire. Of course this
was only one out of hundreds of such cases, but M orchies
must have once been so pretty and simple, and so aloof,
that one felt an especial sense of outrage in seeing the
hateful treatment to which it had been subjected. I
used to wish that some of our pacifists could be brought
out to see it.

On the 24th A/310 was again plentifully bespattered
with shell, but so well were the guns and detachments
protected that the net result of several hours bombard-
ment was only two men wounded, and one gun wheel
broken. Fortunately we were able to spot one of the
batteries responsible for these recent annoyances, and
on the 25th July Major Foot's battery, D/310, engaged
this 5.9-inch battery with aeroplane observation. The
shoot was a very successful one ; several direct hits on
the guns were recorded, and two emplacements were
blown up with their ammunition. As a rule the
batteries that annoyed us were firing from such a long
range that they had to be dealt with by our heavy
artillery, and it was a great satisfaction to us all when
we were able to have a smack at them ourselves. •'

TRENCH WARFARE 27

On the 3rd August the Division made a side slip to
the left, our left sector now becoming our
Aug. 1917. right ; for the new left sector we took over
the rather unpleasant piece of trench (the
old Hindenburg line) which ran from due south of Rien-
court to about 500 yards west of Bullecourt, and which
included the latter village. On this readjustment the
35th Brigade, of the 7th Division, was added to my
command, in positions in the Ecoust valley. I moved
two batteries of the 312th Brigade across into the same
valley, while A and C/312 remained on the Lagnicourt
side temporarily.

About this time we heard from a prisoner that part
of the artillery acting against our front was the 49th
Field Artillery Regiment ; " but we call it," he said,
" the 48|th, because they never quite reach their target,
and are always firing into their own trenches." This
was satisfactory hearing ; at the same time we were un-
comfortably aware that they managed to reach their
targets rather more often than their own infantry seemed
to suppose.

Good news reached us on the 4th from the Ypres
front of 6000 prisoners having been taken and St. Julien
occupied. Operations had, however, been brought to a
standstill in the north by the vile weather ; really it
seemed as though the elements were always on the side
of the Powers of Darkness.

Lieut. A. G. Bennett was wounded on the 8th August.

On about this date one of my trench mortar batteries
went into action in Bullecourt.

They are in a ruin in the middle of the village. You get to
them by first entering an old cellar in another ruin, and then
scrambling down a sloping tunnel to an underground chamber

28 WAR SERVICES

about 30 feet below the surface of the ground. Here the detach-
ment live. Then you crawl up another tunnel, and emerge into
the ruin which holds the mortar emplacements.

I think that the trench mortar batteries had, on the
whole, while they were in action, the most uncomfortable
and dangerous job of any troops in the line. The
infantry, while recognising their great value, objected
not unnaturally to have such favourite objects of the
enemy's attentions in any position near their dug-outs
or much frequented trenches ; and, as it was necessary
that the mortars should be sited as close as possible to
the enemy's front line, and yet, for the above reason,
not too near the infantry, it followed that the only
available positions were usually in unpopular spots
shunned by all who had any choice in the matter, and
generally bearing such significant titles as Hell Fire
Point, V.C. Corner, Deadman's Gulley, etc. The
unfortunate detachments lived underground for practi-
cally the whole of their tour of duty, as it was often
impossible to get to and from their emplacements during
the daylight ; and, owing to shortage of men, their tours
of duty were generally two or three times as long as those
of the infantry. When I went to visit them, I could
nearly always promise myself an exciting walk with
plenty of thrills in it. I retain lively recollections of
crawling with Lindsell or Anderson, guided by Powell,
the D.T.M.O., along shallow trenches, or places where
trenches had been before they were demolished, and
finally diving down into the ground to find ourselves,
when the eyes got used to the subterranean darkness,
in the midst of a party of smiling jolly looking gunners.
They were a cheerful lot, and, after all, they had their
compensations. There were times when there was no

TRENCH WARFARE 29

scope for the use of trench mortars, and then they would
sometimes get a rest for several weeks at a time, in some
pleasant billet well back from the firing line ; and when
they did get a rest, it was well deserved.

On the nth August C/312 was accurately bombarded,
and lost two men killed and two wounded. The casual-
ties up to this date amounted to

3 officers and 80 other ranks killed.

28 officers and 292 other ranks wounded.

C/310 came in for a tremendous bombardment on the
15th. For a long time shells were bursting in the position
at the rate of about two a minute, chiefly 5.9-inch,
varied by an occasional 8-inch. The detachments took
refuge in their deep dug-out, and were able to laugh at
the Boche's efforts, the effects of which were very slight
considering the severity of the bombardment. One gun
was buried, but subsequently dug out undamaged ;
another was blown out of its pit, but though the carriage
was knocked to atoms the piece itself was still quite
serviceable. At least 400 shells had fallen in and around
the battery, and the ground was churned up into huge
craters, many dead bodies being exhumed from their
graves and scattered about. We felt that the Huns
had not got good value on this occasion for the four
thousand pounds which, at the very least, the expendi-
ture of ammunition must have cost them.

On the 18th the 6th Corps held an admirably managed
horse show at Bihucourt, which gave great enjoyment
to a large concourse of officers and men. The artillery
competitors came from six divisional artilleries, and
we were remarkably successful, gaining the following
events : —

Tent-pegging for Officers — 1st prize (Major Swain).

3o WAR SERVICES

Tent-pegging for other ranks— ist prize (B.S.M.
Howes of the D.A.C.).
Gun Team — 3rd prize.
Pair of Light Draught Horses — ist prize.
G.S. Wagon and Pair — 2nd prize.
Team of Mules — 3rd prize.

I may mention that all the three prizes for officers'
chargers were won by the division, going to Lieut. -
Colonel Hore-Ruthven V.C., Major-General Braith-
waite, and Lieut. C. Newman respectively ; the second
of these was a particularly popular win.

By this time the science of protective building and
digging had been brought to a wonderful state of per-
fection in the batteries, as was evidenced by the remark-
ably small number of casualties caused by the enemy's
constant shelling. Rarely a day passed but that the
Noreuil and Ecoust valleys were under fire, and the
former valley in particular presented an extraordinarily
sinister appearance. It was thickly pitted with deep
shell craters along its whole length, and a casual visitor
would have found it hard to believe that any human
beings could go on living in such a shell-swept area.
Further investigation would however have shown that
beneath all this desolation an active and busy under-
ground existence was being carried on. The gun posi-
tions were camouflaged to appear like the surrounding
ground, or disguised to represents heaps of debris, and
were generally strongly enough protected to resist the
impact of a 4.2-inch shell ; and from every position at
least two stairways led deep down into the ground to a
network of passages and sleeping chambers from 30 to
40 feet below the surface. Where all the positions were

TRENCH WARFARE 31

so good, it would be difficult to discriminate between
them, but perhaps the palm should be given to D/310.
The Battery Commander, Major R. C. Foot, was a
mining engineer by profession, and two of his subalterns,
Lieuts. Currie and Casey, had been students with him at
the same engineering college ; their experience was of
great value in a case of this sort, and their scientifically
constructed position in a sunken road just north-west
of Noreuil was a model of what a position should be, and
was visited with great interest by many senior officers
of other divisions as well as of our own.

Concealment from view was daily becoming more and
more impossible. The enemy's balloons were so
numerous, and were poised at so great an altitude, that
very few depressions on the ground were deep enough to
conceal emplacements from one or another of them.
But, in addition to this, as the science of sound ranging
was brought to greater and greater perfection, conceal-
ment became less and less useful, and overhead protec-
tion became the most important consideration. We
now adopted a practice which was henceforth followed
when possible throughout the war. Each battery had
a main position, the guns of which remained silent
except in combined " strafes," when every gun in the
line was firing ; when this happened the gun flashes
were so numerous and continuous along the whole front
that it was almost impossible for observers in the
hostile balloons to take accurate bearings to any
one battery, and sound ranging also was impracticable.
For the ordinary routine shooting each battery kept
an advanced section ; this could be moved with
comparative ease if the Boche artillery should make
the position too hot, and in any case it is more

32 WAR SERVICES

difficult to spot two guns than six, and harder to hit
them when found.

On the 21st August B/310 and C/312 were bombarded
for several hours by 5.9 and 8-inch howitzers ; although
a tremendous weight of metal was poured into the
positions, no material damage was done, and only two
men were wounded.

On the 23rd and 24th the 35th Brigade was withdrawn
from my command, and a readjustment of batteries
had to be made. The 310th continued to cover the
right, or Noreuil, sector, and the left, or Bullecourt,
sector fell to the 312th. A/312 consequently moved
from Lagnicourt to the Ecoust Valley; to our great
delight the Boche threw about 400 rounds into the
empty position the day after the battery had cleared
out of it.

On the 4th and 6th September the Noreuil valley
was again heavily shelled ; on the first
Sept. 1917. of these dates A/310 had two guns knocked
out, but suffered no loss to personnel ;
on the 6th the fire was directed on B/310 and C/310 ;
one man was killed and one wounded, but no damage
whatever was done to material. Capt. J. G. Robinson
was awarded the Military Cross in connection with the
above :

" On the 4th September, near Vaulx, the battery
position was very heavily shelled. Capt. Robinson,
having got his men into safety, endeavoured to locate
the hostile battery by compass bearing. Later on,
noticing that the camouflage of the two gun pits had
caught fire, he, with Sergt. Rider and Gunner Charles-
worth, left cover, and proceeded to extinguish the fires
and to recover the gun pits with camouflage. As the

TRENCH WARFARE 33

shelling continued and the dial sights had not been
removed from the guns, he again went out and removed
four of them. All this was done under very heavy fire
and at great personal risk. He showed very great
gallantry and coolness, and set a fine example to the
rest of the battery."

On the 10th the trench mortars in Bullecourt carried
out one of their periodical bombardments of the Boche
trenches and knocked them about handsomely. The
enemy turned a number of batteries of varying calibres
on to the mortar emplacements and put one mortar out
of action. Corporal W. Settle, who was in charge of
one of the mortars, behaved with great gallantry. He
was almost buried by an explosion, and his coat was
literally riddled, with at least 30 rents and holes, though
in some miraculous way he escaped unwounded. In
spite of this he stuck to his work until the shoot was
finished. He got the Military Medal, but, to my great
sorrow, was killed five days later at Cherisy.

At the beginning of September the G. S.O.I, of the
Division, Lieut. -Colonel the Hon. A. Hore-Ruthven
V.C., left us on transfer to the Guards Division, much to
the regret of us all. He was succeeded by a Gunner,
Lieut. -Colonel C. R. Newman, D.S.O.

On the night of the nth our infantry carried out a
successful little raid on the Star Cross Roads, about
quarter of a mile S.W. of Riencourt. The guns bom-
barded the trench from n. 10 to n. 15 p.m., and then
formed a box barrage round the cross roads for quarter
of an hour, while the infantry walked in ; they bombed
the dug-outs, did as much destruction as they could, and
returned with four prisoners ; their own casualties were
only three wounded. Early in the morning of the 13th

34 WAR SERVICES

the enemy attempted a raid on our trenches at the Apex.
The S.O.S. signal was sent up, and our guns were firing
hard for about two hours. The attack was completely
repulsed.

The G.O.C. received the following message from Sir
Douglas Haig :

' The Commander-in-Chief congratulates you and
your troops on the repeated successes shown in your local
operations, which show excellent spirit and skill. These
successes help appreciably in the general plan."

A few days before this attack I had been ordered to
lend two 18-pounder batteries and two trench mortar
batteries to the 50th Division to help them in a raid
in the neighbourhood of Cherisy, and as they had
marched out on the 12th for an absence of four days,
our artillery strength was in a dangerously low state
when the attack took place, their being only sixteen
18-pounder guns and eleven howitzers to cover a front
of 5000 yards.

The two field batteries that were temporarily detached
for this duty were A/3 10 and B/312. The raid was a
very successful one, but, unhappily, our losses in the
trench mortars were very heavy, and we lost two valuable
officers killed, Lieuts. G. A. Craven and W. E. Harris,
and one wounded, Lieut. W. Wooliscroft. Seven
N.C.O.'s and gunners were also killed, and a large number
wounded. Lieut. E. Parkinson was given the Military
Cross " for gallantry and devotion to duty during minor
operations west of Cherisy. After his battery had
suffered many casualties during the first phase, he re-
organised his positions, and, after his Commanding
Officer had been killed, went round under heavy fire
encouraging his men to keep their mortars going. Later,

TRENCH WARFARE 35

under heavy fire, he searched his gun position and
assisted to get wounded clear and his men away."

Lieut. Parkinson has kindly furnished me with the
following account of what took place :

" Y/62 and Z/62 trench mortar batteries were lent
to the 50th Division for a raid they carried out on
September 15th, 1917. The field guns and trench
mortars provided a box barrage, the latter putting their
contributions at each side, while the field guns shelled
the enemy's support trenches.

" Our positions were in a little-used trench about
150 yards behind our own front line, opposite Cherisy.
This trench had previously suffered very little from
the German barrage, and it was expected that casualties
there would be slight. The wire was not cut from any
of these positions, and guns not even registered from
them.

" The first portion of the raid was carried out from
4 p.m. to 4.40 p.m., and was completely successful.
The Battalion which went over the top was commanded
by the late Brig.-General Bradford, V.C., then Colonel,
who afterwards came to the 62nd Division as a Brigade
Commander.

" As ill luck would have it (I cannot think it anything
else), the trench the mortars were in received about
75 per cent, of the total German barrage, and casualties
were so heavy among Z battery that they were unable
to man their guns for the full length of time. Lieut.
G. A. Craven was so severely wounded that he died the
same evening, while Lieut. W. Wooliscroft was wounded,
and most of the men either killed or wounded.

" At 7.40 p.m. half a battalion went over the top again,
and in this case also the results were all that could have

36 WAR SERVICES

been desired. Previously Y Battery had only had two
men killed, and so were able to man their four guns.
The German barrage was again very heavy, and we
suffered severely. Round one gun were grouped about
a hundred bombs ready for firing, and exactly what
happened we shall never know, but the lot were
detonated. The detachment was of course blown to
atoms, and at the next gun two men were killed by the
explosion as well as Lieut. Harris. One man alone was
left unharmed, and after carrying some wounded under
cover, he returned and manned his gun single-handed
until the raid was over.

"We went to the raid 4 officers and about 40 other
ranks, and returned to our Division 1 officer and 6 other
ranks."

I received the following letter from the G.O.C.R.A.,
50th Division :

' Will you please thank your fellows very much for
the good work they did for us yesterday. I am most
awfully sorry your trench mortars had such a bad time.
It was just bad luck ; the Boche put down a barrage
where he had never put one down before, and caught
them. It was most unfortunate. I can't tell you how
sorry I am about it."

On the 26th September we carried out a bombardment
of the enemy's trenches south of Riencourt, together
with a barrage, with the object of making him think we
were assaulting, and inducing him to unmask his
artillery positions. This object was successfully
attained, the enemy " got the wind up " thoroughly,
and answered with every available gun. Our planes
and balloons were able to fix the positions of nearly
40 batteries.

TRENCH WARFARE 37

Major A. F. Bayley arrived on the 27th, and was
posted to the 310th Brigade.

For the next few weeks things were comparatively
quiet, though life in the batteries was diversified by
occasional bombardments. I take from a note written
at the time a short account of one of my routine trips.
It is a fairly typical one, and will serve to give some idea
of the sort of condition under which we were now holding
the line :

First we drive in the car for about two miles ; then we alight,
fix gas helmets in the ready position, put on tin hats, and go on
on foot, leaving the car in a sunken road fairly safe and snug.
Now the excitement begins. We go across country, generally
in full view of the Boche lines, though they are still far off, and
often dodging the places where their long-range shells are falling,
or lying down till they burst if we hear them coming near us.
A walk of one and a half miles brings us into a much-battered
village in which my most advanced guns are scattered about,
and now begins the second and more dangerous stage. The
village (Ecoust) is a deserted ruin, but for occasional individuals
moving hastily from cover to cover, and we waste no time in
passing through it, and enter the communication trench which
leads up to the front infantry line. As the Boche has exact
photographs of the course of this trench, he frequently bombards
it ; and though the chances are greatly against a shell falling on
any one bit of the trench just at the moment when one is passing,
still at the time the possibility seems far from remote, and the
situation is thrilling enough. About a mile of trench as the crow
flies (but treble that distance to walk, owing to the zig-zag
formation of the trench, so designed to prevent a shell from
sweeping right down it) brings one to the support line. Stage
three, and the most dangerous one, now begins ; one follows
the support trench for a good long way ; it is generally pretty
deep, but in places it has almost been destroyed by recent shelling,
and then one has to crawl and duck until a safer depth is reached ;
then up other zig-zags to the very front line. Here one is in
comparative safety, for the enemy is only one or two hundred
yards off, and his artillery dare not shoot at you for fear of hitting

38 WAR SERVICES

their own front line ; so you are safe except for snipers (if you
are foolish enough to show yourself), or for that most terrible of
all terrors, the minenwerfer.

These trips were often unpleasant enough even to
people who, like myself, could always count on returning
to a comfortable and fairly safe billet for the night, and
they helped us, I hope, to realise the strain and
discomfort which the officers and men at the batteries
were forced to endure from day to day and night to
night. The bulletins " nothing fresh to report " or
" all quiet on such a front " had for them very little
signification.

During this period, in addition to the normal duties
at the gun positions and in the wagon lines, every spare
man was kept constantly hard at work in building
stabling for the coming winter. It was a case of " sic
vos non vobis," for everyone knew that our chances of
remaining in this particular place were very small
indeed, and that other men would enter into the fruit
of our labours ; however, the same considerations
applied to the whole army, and one could only work one's
hardest and trust that other divisions would do the same
— a trust which, it is only fair to say, was rarely dis-
appointed, even though, as must also be admitted,
batteries almost always thought that the stables,
shelters, and positions, which they had made, were a
good deal better than those to which they succeeded.
This belief may or may not have been always justified ;
anyway, it was human nature, and certainly the stabling
constructed for this winter by the brigades and D.A.C.
was of a very excellent and substantial nature.

During the period covered by this chapter 14 Military
Medals were gained in the Divisional Artillery. Lieut.

TRENCH WARFARE 39

F. C. Pritchard won the Military Cross on the 8th
October for the following act :

" When an ammunition pit and the camouflage over a
gun were on fire, he went out and pulled the camouflage
off the gun, and shovelled wet mud on to the fire. He
did not leave until it was isolated from the other ammuni-
tion, thereby preventing much destruction."

Chapter III

THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI

"And you, good Yeomen,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture ; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding.'''

Shakespeare. — King Henry the Fifth.

Our infantry withdrew from the line for a rest on the
12th October. The artillery, however,
Oct. 1917. merely changed the scene of their labours,
and about ten days later marched straight
up from their former positions into action in the neigh-
bourhood of Wancourt, to cover the 51st Division ; the
trench mortar batteries in the meantime were temporarily
distributed between the 3rd and the 16th Divisions.

On the 29th we had the misfortune to lose a valuable
officer in Lieut. H. Sutherland, signalling officer of the
312th Brigade, who was killed very soon after his
brigade had joined the 51st Division.

My own headquarters had meanwhile moved to
Haplincourt, and on the 30th October I learned from
the G.O.C.R.A. of the 4th Corps that a big attack was to
be made in the direction of Cambrai within about three
weeks, in which the 62nd Division was to play a leading
part. It was, in fact, to attack and capture the village
of Havrincourt, a position of enormous strength protected

THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI 41

by an elaborate system of trenches and barbed wire
entanglements, and forming one of the strongest portions
of the formidable Hindenburg line.

The method of attack was to be an entirely new

departure. There was to be no artillery
Nov. 1917. preparation ; in other words, not one gun

beyond the normal was to be fired until
the moment of assault, or what is technically known as
" Zero." Then the barrage was to begin, and the
infantry were to assault preceded by tanks. In addition
to my own brigades, I was to have under my command
for the operation the 77th, 93rd, and 16th Brigades, i.e.
twenty batteries in all.

A period of intense activity now commenced. A
tremendous lot of work had to be done, and there were
at first very few men to do it. A party of about 100
men, taken from the 3rd and 16th Brigades R.H.A.,
was placed at my disposal, and I entrusted the superin-
tendence of the work to Major C. A. Eeles, who tackled
it with the greatest energy. Positions were selected for
the five brigades at ranges of from 2000 to 2500 yards
from the enemy's front line, chiefly along the Hubert
road on the northern edge of the Havrincourt Wood,
and, as it was absolutely essential that the work should
be done without the Boche suspecting it, and the whole
country was visible from his lines, the task was a very
difficult one. The first thing to do was to screen off
the proposed positions from view. That part of the
wood through which the Hubert road ran had been
cut down by the Huns when they retreated through it
in April ; a lot of scrub had grown up in the clearing
during the summer, and with this a screen of twigs and
branches was erected in one night, for a distance of two

42 WAR SERVICES

miles along the edge of the road on the enemy's side
When morning broke on the 4th November the road
itself was invisible from the German trenches, and yet
the screen that hid it mingled so well with the surround-
ing scrub that the enemy never noticed any change.
For the next fortnight the work of preparation went on
night and day, and so careful were the precautions taken
by the working parties, that the enemy never had the
slightest suspicion that anything unusual was going on.
On this occasion the weather helped us, as the days were
usually misty, and yet not a drop of rain fell all the time.

The preliminaries consisted in making positions for
20 batteries, digging ammunition recesses and telephone
pits, construction of shelters for the detachments, the
preparation of gun platforms and trail beds, and the
collection at the gun pits of tremendous dumps of
ammunition (700 rounds per 18-pounder gun and 450
rounds per howitzer). For the conveyance of the latter
about three miles of light railway had to be laid down.
Then O.P.'s and brigade headquarters were selected and
prepared, and camouflage was collected and placed over
all work as it was carried out, and also arranged ready
for putting on the guns as they were required to move
into their positions in action.

Lieut. E. W. Davis was wounded on the 9th November.

Lieut.-Colonel R. M. Foot, D.S.O., A.A. and Q.M.G.
of the Division, left us about this time on appointment
to a corps. He had always been most helpful to the
gunners, and we were very sorry to lose him. His
place was taken, after an interval of a few weeks, by
Lieut.-Colonel Harold Lea, D.S.O., with whom the
Divisional Artillery always preserved the same happy
relations.

THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI 43

The artillery concentration began on the night of the
I2th/i3th November, when the 310th and 312th
Brigades arrived in the neighbourhood of Beaulencourt ;
they concentrated next day at Barastre, where their
wagon lines were to be during the battle. In this
advance to the battle area the most elaborate precau-
tions were taken to keep the enemy's suspicions from
being awakened. All troops marched by night, and
remained hidden during the day time in the various big
woods, which are dotted about in this part of the country.
I well remember walking over to the Corps Headquarters
at Villers au Flos on the evening of the 14th ; it was a
pitch dark night, and I found it almost impossible to
make my way along the road, which was covered along
its whole length by an unbroken column of heavy guns
being drawn by caterpillars — the heavy artillery con-
centrating for the battle. And yet next morning that
same road presented its usual empty and tranquil
appearance to such hostile planes as might happen to fly
overhead.

On the 18th, Divisional headquarters moved to Neu-
ville. The 312th Brigade moved into their gun positions
on the night of the I7th/i8th, and all the rest of my
command on the night of the iSth/iCjth, i.e. the 310th,
77th, 93rd, and 153rd Brigades.

Lieut. -Colonel Lough, commanding 312th Brigade,
left on the 17th, invalided home, and his successor,
Lieut.-Col. A. G. Eden, joined us on the 19th.

The night of the 19th was a very anxious one, and
will long be remembered by all who took part in the
battle. It was impossible to tell whether the enemy had
any suspicions of what was in store for him ; he might
even know all about it, and this was the more possible,

44 WAR SERVICES

as he had made a raid two nights before the battle and
had captured one or two of our men. There was a
chance that he might have wormed some information
out of them, for an uneducated man may often give
away valuable information quite innocently, out of
pure ignorance or indiscretion. If he did know, the
enemy might have wrecked the attack before it began,
by bombarding the long line of guns, which had the most
definite orders on no account to fire a round till 6.20 a.m.
when the attack was to be launched. As it happened,
the Boche showed great uneasiness, and fired very
heavily during the night, though fortunately not on any
vital places. We listened to the firing in great suspense,
and watched the flashes of the shell bursting apparently
very near our line of guns ; but we could get no infor-
mation, for no telephones were allowed until the moment
of attack, lest indiscreet things might be said, and
tapped by the enemy's listening apparatus.

At 5.45 a.m. there was a particularly furious burst of
firing, which died down at a few minutes past six, and
was succeeded by a dead silence, during which one could
fancy one heard the anxious beating of fifty thousand
hearts. Did the Boche know ; had he some infernal
surprise for us ? We stood in a little group outside the
hut which served for our headquarters, and fixed our
eyes on the long grey line of wood along the edge of
which the guns lay waiting. The moment arrived. A
tremendous thunder clap broke the silence ; the whole
sky grew red, and the air sighed with shell. The battle
had begun according to our plans, and success was
certain.

Preceded by the tanks, our infantry swept forward in
an irresistible wave, and pressing close up behind the

THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI 45

barrage, overcame all obstacles, capturing system after
system of strongly fortified posts, and following the
tanks through a jungle of barbed wire which the Boche
might well have believed to be absolutely impenetrable.
By about noon they had taken all their objectives.
Havrincourt, Graincourt, Anneux, and the Cambrai
road, from the factory north-west of Graincourt to the
canal, were in our hands, together with several hundreds
of prisoners, a 4.2-inch howitzer battery, and many
machine guns and mortars. The Division had made
the record advance of the war, 7000 yards in one day.
The following message was received in the evening :

" Army Commander sends special congratulations to
all ranks of the 62nd Division on their very fine achieve-
ments to-day."

As this was the greatest battle in which the Division
had yet been engaged, I shall here give in full the official
account of the artillery action, as it was made out at the
time by Capt. Lindsell, my Brigade Major.

20th November. From zero (6.20 a.m.) until the capture
of the brown line the artillery action was in the nature
of a set piece, the barrage being fired according to time-
table as detailed. No modifications were found neces-
sary.

10.30 a.m. The first artillery advance was ordered,
77th Brigade being directed to send forward one battery
to the area north-east of Havrincourt Wood in support
of the 185th Infantry Brigade.

10.40 a.m. Eight prisoners were captured by the
advanced reconnoitring party of C/310.

10.50 a.m. The 5th Brigade R.H.A., having passed
under the orders of the C.R.A. 62nd Division, was
ordered to advance battery by battery to the east of

46 WAR SERVICES

Havrincourt, to support the advance of the 186th
Infantry Brigade on Graincourt.

11.40 a.m. The 77th Brigade was ordered to advance
complete to the south-west of Havrincourt to cover the
line Graincourt — Factory on Bapaume-Cambrai road.

12 noon. The 310th Brigade was ordered to advance
battery by battery to the east of Havrincourt to support,
with 5th Brigade R.H.A., the further advance of the
186th Infantry Brigade.

2 p.m. The Divisional Artillery situation was as
follows :

5th Brigade R.H.A. East of Havrincourt, moving

into action.
310th Brigade R.F.A. In column of route moving for-
ward.
77th ,, ,, Two batteries in action south-

west of Havrincourt, and two
moving into action in the
same area.
^ Still in original positions, 93rd
93rd „ ,, and 153rd awaiting orders

153rd ,, ,, - from 36th Division, to whose

312th ,, ,, command they had now

passed.
2 p.m. It was ascertained that the 51st Division (on
our right) had not captured Flesquieres. As this position
exposed the right of the attack of the 62nd Division, the
310th Brigade were ordered back to their former posi-
tions ; this order did not, however, take effect, as on
receipt of later information they were allowed to con-
tinue their former movement.

2.30 p.m. The 77th Brigade was in action complete
S.W. of Havrincourt.

THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI 47

4.10 p.m. The 5th Brigade R.H.A. and 310th Brigade
R.F.A., in action east of Havrincourt, were grouped
under Colonel West, R.H.A. , to cover the line gained
by the 186th Infantry Brigade in the vicinity of
Graincourt. The 77th Brigade was ordered to cover
the part in the direction of Flesquieres. The 312th
Brigade, still in its original position, was ordered to be
prepared to cover the brown line as a defensive measure
in case of necessity.

6.50 p.m. Orders were issued for the 62nd Division
to continue the advance on Bourlon on the 21st, and for
a further advance of all artillery brigades in support of
this attack. Owing to the state of the ground it was
found impossible to get the guns forward during the
night. Brigades therefore advanced as early as possible
on the 21st to positions S.W. of Graincourt, with the
exception of the 5th Brigade R.H.A., which remained
N.E. of Havrincourt. The four brigades, as their
batteries were able to get into action, were placed at the
disposal of the G.O.C. 186th Infantry Brigade for his
attack on Bourlon Wood. Owing to bad going and
damaged roads the difficulties of getting guns forward
proved very considerable, but all brigades were in posi-
tion by the afternoon of the 21st, with communication
established with the Infantry Brigade headquarters in
Graincourt.

21st November. Bourlon Wood and village were
attacked, under a barrage fired by the 5th R.H.A. and
310th Brigades. The attack was held up by machine
gun fire from the Marquion trench. During the re-
mainder of the day the artillery forward moves were
continued, and a fresh attack on the Marquion line was
organised for the 22nd.

48 WAR SERVICES

22nd November. The 62nd Division again attacked
under a barrage provided by all four artillery brigades.
The attack succeeded in gaining a hold astride the
Marquion line, south of Bourlon Wood.

The 40th Division then relieved the 62nd, the artillery,
however, remaining in action under the former division.

The following Divisional Order was issued on the 24th
November :

" Special Order of the Day.

" The Divisional Commander has the honour to
announce that both the Commander-in-Chief and the
Army Commander have expressed their high apprecia-
tion of the achievements of the 62nd Division in the
battle.

" The Divisional Commander had the most implicit
confidence that the Division would acquit itself with
honour. To have advanced 7000 yards on the first day,
taken all objectives, held them against counter attacks,
and handed over all gains intact to the relieving division,
is a feat of arms of which any division may be justly
proud.

" The number of prisoners taken by the division is
not far short of 2000. Thirty-seven guns have been
captured, which include two 8-inch howitzers, one
complete 4.2-inch battery, one complete battery of
5.9-inch, and the remainder guns of various calibres,
many of which were brought into action against the enemy.

" The number of machine guns, granatenwerfer, etc.,
etc., which have fallen into our possession is so consider-
able that it has not been possible yet to make an accurate
tally of them.

THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI 49

" The advance of the artillery to Graincourt, and the
accuracy of the barrage, is worthy of the best traditions
of the Royal Regiment.

" To G Battalion, the Tanks, all ranks of the Division
expresses their admiration of the skill, bravery, and the
splendid self-sacrifice which made success possible.

" The discipline, valour, and steadiness of all ranks
has been beyond praise.

" It is with great and legitimate pride that I have the
honour to sign my name as Commander of the 62nd
West Riding Division.

" Walter Braithwaite,

Major-General."

On the 23rd, 24th and 25th November attacks were
continued by the 40th Division against Bourlon Wood,
which ended in the gaining of a firm footing in its
southern outskirts. I received a letter from the G.O.C.
40th Division expressing his thanks " for the excellent
and untiring support which the 62nd Divisional Artillery
gave to the infantry under his command " on these days.

On Sunday the 25th the 62nd Division was ordered
back into the line, much to our surprise, in relief of the
40th Division, which had suffered heavily in its severe
three days' fight. Our orders were to capture Bourlon
Wood, and we had the support of the following artillery
in addition to our own : 5th Brigade R.H.A., 77th, 178th,
and 181st Brigade R.F.A., and the 87th Heavy Artillery
group.

Divisional headquarters moved forward into the^Park
of Havrincourt Chateau.

The attack was made at 6.20 a.m. on the 27th under a
rolling barrage, and resulted in the capture of almost the

50 WAR SERVICES

whole of Bourlon Wood, the highest piece of ground for
miles round. Our losses were very heavy, but the
success was a most important one, and in the battle our
tired Division met and shattered a division of Prussian
Guards which had to be withdrawn from the line after
only 24 hours in action.

Lieut. E. E. C. Lintern was wounded on the 25th, and
for gallant services on the 21st and 22nd, Major E. W. F.
Jephson won a bar to his Military Cross, and Lieut. N.
Hess was awarded the Military Cross. The same honour
was gained by Lieut. J. B. Boden and Lieut. P. C.
Furlong for the following acts :

" On the 23rd November, Lieut. Boden, finding a
disabled enemy field gun in a forward position, fitted
the breech mechanism of another gun to it, and brought
it into action in the open. He fired about 60 rounds with
excellent effect, though under heavy fire, and in full view
of the enemy."

" On the 25th November, when one of his guns blew
up while his battery was in action, Lieut. Furlong
collected the detachment who were suffering from shell
shock, got them under cover, and steadied the detach-
ments at the other guns, under heavy shell fire."

On the night of the 28th our infantry was relieved by
the 47th Division. On this day and on the 29th there
was a great increase of activity on the part of the
enemy's artillery, and it became evident that he had
been strongly reinforced.

At 8.45 a.m. on the 30th the enemy launched a very
formidable counter attack, pouring his infantry forward
in great masses and with the most desperate determina-
tion, supported by a tremendous artillery fire of high
explosive and gas shell. As the hostile infantry appeared

THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI 51

over the crest of the hill, to the west of Bourlon Wood,
they were engaged with direct fire by our field artillery,
which swept through and raked the advancing masses
again and again, inflicting the most appalling losses upon
them. The most desperate fighting went on all day,
and at one time my two most forward batteries, A/312
and D/312, were within a few hundred yards of the
Boche infantry. Batteries have seldom been given such
excellent targets of massed infantry in the open as
offered themselves that day to nearly all my batteries,
and full advantage was taken of the opportunity. At
4 p.m., when darkness came on, the enemy had made no
progress against our corps front, the most determined
attacks of four German divisions, with three others in
support, having been utterly crushed by the unconquer-
able resistance of the three British Divisions in the line.
To quote from the official account issued by the General
Staff:

" At the end of this day of high courage and glorious
achievement, except for a few advanced positions, some
of which were afterwards regained, our line had been
maintained intact. The men who had come triumphantly
through this mighty contest felt, and rightly felt, that
they had won a great victory, in which the enemy had
come against them in his full strength, and had been
defeated with losses at which even the victors stood
aghast."

Against the corps on our right the Boche had been
more successful, and the position on its extreme right
was at one time full of peril. Here the enemy pene-
trated our lines and captured Gonnelieu and Gouzan-
court, though he was driven out of the latter village by
the Guards that same night. The back areas were

52 WAR SERVICES

very heavily bombarded all through the day, and the
D.A.C. in Metz suffered a good many casualties.

Lieut. C. B. Innes was wounded during this day's
fighting ; Lieut. E. T. Williams was awarded the
Military Cross, while Lieut. J. B. Boden added a bar to
the decoration which he had earned only eight days before :

' During a strong enemy attack the battery was in
action during the whole of the day. For over seven
hours the battery was heavily shelled, and during the
whole of this period Lieut. Boden was among the guns,
occasionally working a gun himself, and setting a
magnificent example to the men of his detachment.
Finally he was put hors de combat through a shell dropping
close by him and stunning him. His cool determination
and devotion to duty were magnificent."

" On the battery being heavily shelled, and fired on by
machine guns from the flank, orders were received to
withdraw. Lieut. Williams remained behind with two
guns, the wheels of which had been damaged, but
succeeded in getting both of them clear of the position,
thereby setting a splendid example of gallantry and
fearlessness to the men."

Thirty-three Military Medals were also awarded
(v. Appendix).

I handed over artillery command on the evening of
the 30th, and rejoined Divisional Headquarters at
Haplincourt, to find that all our three infantry brigades
had again been thrown into the line in support of three
different divisions. I heard to my great sorrow that
Brig.-General Bradford, V.C., who had joined the 62nd
only about three weeks before, had been killed. He was
a man of extraordinary gallantry and great personal
charm, and a born soldier and leader of men.

THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI 53

I copy here an extract from a captured document,
signed by the Commander of the German army on our
front, which was rather flattering to our pride as
gunners :

" It is worthy of remark that our enemy's guns have
a much smaller zone of dispersion than our own. They
also appear to have better and more accurate data for
shooting from the map than we have. This seems to be
proved from the fact that in weather that excludes
all possibility of observation, and under conditions
very different from those prevailing during previous
shoots, he obtains hits on small targets with great
accuracy."

Divisional Headquarters left the area of the Cambrai
battle on the 4th December, together with
Dec. 1917. the infantry of the Division, and after
several moves the Artillery Headquarters
finally settled down for a time at Bethoncourt, near
Tincques, on the 19th. The guns, as usual, remained in
action, supporting different divisions in the arduous
work of adjusting the new trench line. Bourlon Wood
was given up together with some more of the captured
ground, but Havrincourt was retained, and the net
result to us was considerably on the credit side.

Capt. E. F. Johnson was killed on the 9th December
only about a week after joining the Division. On the
13th Lieut. L. Gane was awarded the Military Cross
when in action at Doignies :

" When an enemy shell hit one of the gun pits which
contained a large number of charges, Lieut. Gane ordered
all the men away, and himself went into the pit. Satisfied
that immediate action would save the shell dump and
prevent the fire from spreading, he had a party to

54 WAR SERVICES

extinguish the flames, which was successfully accom-
plished. By his prompt action and coolness he saved
the shells and guns from being blown up."

I received the following letter dated the nth December
from the G.O.C. R.A. of the 47th Division :

" To-morrow I shall be parting with your brigades
and D.A.C., and I take the opportunity of thanking you
most heartily for all the work they have done since you
handed them over to me.

" Our infantry have been greatly pleased with the
support your gallant fellows have given them, not only
on November 30th, but ever since, and I am only sorry
that they have had to put up with so much discomfort,
but the conditions have made it impossible to do much
for them. Colonel Sherlock has been a tower of strength.

" E. N. Whitley,

Brig.-General R.A."

At last, after another fortnight of hard fighting and
great discomfort, the artillery was withdrawn, and
arrived in the rest area behind Arras on the 29th
December. In spite of the severity of the weather, all
ranks greatly enjoyed the rest which they had so well
earned, although it could only be called a rest in the
sense that they were out of danger and in a condition of
comparative comfort. Much work of course had to be
done in cleaning up and generally refitting, and in
preparing to take up the new positions just north of
Arras, which were now to be our special charge.

On the 7th January my Brigade-Major, Capt. W. G.

Lindsell, D.S.O., M.C., left the Division to
Jan. 1918. take up the appointment of Staff Officer

R.A. of the 8th Corps. He was greatly

THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI 55

regretted throughout the Division, by none more
sincerely than by myself. To an unlimited capacity for
work, and a meticulously accurate knowledge of staff
duties, he added a tact and charm of manner which
made him many friends in the Divisional Artillery, and
helped to ensure that all orders, however unpleasant,
were carried out cheerfully and without question in full
confidence that nothing which bore the Brigade-Major's
signature would ever be unreasonable or unnecessary.

Major F. FitzGibbon, D.S.O., was appointed Brigade-
Major in Lindsell's place, and I may say at once that
he proved a most worthy successor.

In the New Year's gazette Capt. Lindsell, M.C., and
Major Arnold Forster both received the D.S.O., and
Major R. C. Foot the Military Cross. All these honours
had been thoroughly well earned, but it was a great
disappointment to me that more officers could not
receive decorations. The allotment of honours allowed
for regimental officers was always so small that each
gazette left this feeling of disappointment behind it, and
many an officer remained undecorated at the end of the
war who had earned such distinction over and over
again. Major Arnold Forster, I may here mention,
was the only battery commander to hold that position
in the Division throughout the war ; one or two others
ran him close as far as service in France was concerned,
but he commanded a battery — and commanded it with
conspicuous success — from May, 1916, till the breaking
up of the Division in Germany, and had the satisfaction
therefore of fighting the battery which he had himself
trained.

Chapter IV

THE GREAT GERMAN OFFENSIVE

" There is but one task for all,
For each one life to give,
Who stands, if freedom fall?
Who dies, if England live? "

Kipling.

On the 9th January Divisional Headquarters moved to
Victory Camp, near Roclincourt, and I
Jan. 1918. assumed command of the artillery in the
line, the 56th Divisional Artillery.

Our own artillery relieved the 56th on the 15th. The
front we now covered ran roughly from Gavrelle to
Oppy. The 310th Brigade, which formed the right
group, occupied positions on or about the southern end
of the Vimy Ridge, with one advanced battery, B/310,
close to Arleux, and only about a thousand yards from
the Boche front line ; this battery was so sited as to
enfilade a long portion of the enemy's trenches ; and
though in what was apparently a dangerously forward
position, it was so well concealed in a hollow of the
ground that it came in for no greater attention than did
the other batteries much further in rear.

The 312th Brigade was the left group ; two of its
batteries, B/312 and D/312, were in the shattered ruins

THE GREAT GERMAN OFFENSIVE 57

of Bailleul village ; this was a most unpleasant spot, and
I don't think I've ever seen a village which bore the signs
of such serious and constant shell fire.

We now belonged to the 13th Corps, which consisted
of the 31st and 56th Divisions, in addition to our own.
A system of reliefs was arranged under which two divi-
sions should hold the line and one division remain at rest,
and it was hoped that divisional artilleries would get
about three weeks' rest for every six weeks spent in
action. No one, however, believed in his heart thac
this scheme would prove a lasting one. There were
many indications that the enemy was preparing for a
great offensive, and indeed it was now obvious that his
only chance would be to strike, and strike hard, before
the full weight of American intervention should be
thrown into the balance.

The next few weeks were comparatively quiet ones,
and a tremendous lot of work was done in improving
the very indifferent positions which we had taken over.
These positions, it is only fair to state, had not been
occupied for more than ten days or so by the 56th
Divisional Artillery, who were in no way to blame for
their unsatisfactory condition.

Two Regular Majors were posted to us about this time,
Majors M. R. H. Crofton, D.S.O., and J. F. K. Lockhart,
who took over command of C/312 and A/3 10 respectively.

The experiment was now made of employing Indian
drivers in ammunition columns, and on the 26th January
I inspected those who had been sent to the 62nd D.A.C.
There were about 130 of them, all Mussulmans, and they
looked a useful lot of men ; they proved to be so as it
turned out, and did very good work for the rest of the
war.

58 WAR SERVICES

On February ist our heavy trench mortar battery,
which, under command of Capt. S. V.
Feb. 1918. Bowden, had done much good service, was
transferred to the Corps, as it was now
decided that divisional artillery should only have
medium trench mortars. Capt. Bowden himself re-
mained in the Division with the latter.

I have described this period as a comparatively quiet
one, but that is not to say that the batteries were left
alone by the Boche artillery. Shelling of a desultory
sort was always going on, and most of the batteries
came in for an occasional bombardment — a daily
bombardment it would be more correct to say in the
case of the two batteries in Bailleul. Fortunately the
shooting was strangely ineffective. D/310, for instance,
was heavily shelled on the evening of the 23rd January ;
but though there were three direct hits on emplacements
and the whole position was deeply pitted with shell
craters, no damage was done to men or material. A/310
was less fortunate on the 5th February, when, unhappily,
two sergeants and a signaller were killed, though no
guns were put out of action. B/310 was shelled the same
day at Arleux, and on this occasion one officer was
wounded, Lieut. C. R. Witcher.

On the 16th February the artillery withdrew from the
line into billets in and around Aubigny, Caucourt, and
Frevin Capelle, the headquarters being in the chateau
at Berles. This was the only rest we were to get under
the scheme mentioned above.

On the 6th and 7th March we went into the line in

relief of the 31st Division, against an

March, 1918. enemy front of about 4000 yards,

stretching from Oppy to Acheville ; the

THE GREAT GERMAN OFFENSIVE 59

310th was again on the right, and the 312th on the left,
batteries being mostly in or about Willerval and Farbus.
Headquarters were at Roclincourt.

It now seemed certain that a big German offensive
was brewing, and henceforth practically all our firing
was done by detached sections, while the main positions
remained silent, and every possible artifice was employed
to conceal them from detection by the enemy. At the
same time several single guns were distributed along the
front for defence against tanks, being so sited that every
possible approach by a hostile tank would be under fire
from one or more of the guns.

Some experimental firing by single guns was carried
out on the afternoon of the 10th March near Souchez.
A dummy tank, about three-quarters real size, was
drawn across an open space at about a thousand yards
from the gun. Detachments from various divisions
engaged it in turn, and the results were most reassuring,
two or three direct hits being very quickly scored in
nearly every case ; it seemed to prove that an anti-tank
gun well handled ought to be able to knock out several
tanks in a minute or two.

On the nth Divisional Headquarters were persistently
shelled by a 13 cm. gun firing from a range of about
14,000 yards. Information had been received that the
long expected offensive was to begin on the 13th, and as
the enemy's attacks were often heralded by long range
firing into the back areas, it seemed likely that the report
might in this case be correct, and all preparations were
made accordingly. The bombardment was repeated
on the night of the 12th, and all troops, artillery and
infantry, were standing-to from an hour before dawn on
the 13th. Nothing unusual, however, happened,

60 WAR SERVICES

although the long range activity against our headquarters
became a regular nightly occurrence from now on. As
it was important to find out what was brewing, it was
decided to carry out a raid with the object of taking
prisoners and getting such information out of them as
might be possible. The raid was carried out by a
battalion of the 186th Infantry Brigade. At 10.50 p.m.
on the 17th March, two batteries of the 56th Divisional
Artillery opened on the Boche front about a thousand
yards south of the part we were raiding. The enemy at
once sent up S.O.S. signals, and his artillery put down a
barrage on that part of the front — which was exactly
what we wanted. At 11 p.m. all our guns opened fire
on the real front for five minutes, and then, lifting off
the part that was to be raided, formed a box barrage all
round it. Our raiding party, consisting of 2 officers and
70 men, then went over the top, passing through gaps
in the wire which had previously been cut by the trench
mortars and by Bangalore torpedoes. At 11.25 they
returned, having killed several Huns and taken five
prisoners. The guns kept up the barrage till 11.40, and
one of the howitzer batteries fired a screen of smoke shell
along the edge of Fresnoy Park from 11.25 to 11.40, to
screen our men as they returned. The whole thing went
off like clockwork, and our infantry only had three men
slightly wounded.

I received the following letter next day from the G.O.C.
186th Infantry Brigade :

' The raiders wish me to say that the barrage was
perfect. Would you please accept for yourself and your
batteries their thanks for the large part you contributed
towards the success of the show. To show the accuracy
of the shooting, the Bangalore torpedoes were inserted

THE GREAT GERMAN OFFENSIVE 61

in the wire while the barrage was still on the front line.
This and the absence of casualties from short shooting,
and the fact that the garrison was discovered prostrate
on the floor of the trench, I think speaks for itself.

" J. G. Burnett,

" Brig. -General."
And also the following from Lieut.-Colonel Thackeray,
who commanded the battalion that carried out the
raid :

" Both the officers and men who took part in the raid
last night are loud in their praise of the wonderful
accuracy of the barrage. It gave them the greatest
confidence. . . ."

I may say here that the infantry were always most
generous in their acknowledgment of our support, and
there was the best possible feeling between the two arms
in our Division. We all had the greatest admiration
for our wonderful infantry, and it was a great gratifica-
tion to us to know that they appreciated our efforts.

Eight Military Medals were awarded while we were in
action in this part of the line (v. Appendix).

Early on the morning of the 21st March the enemy
began a tremendous bombardment on our front, and
we could hear the thunder of his guns extending
apparently for many miles to either flank. The great
offensive had evidently begun, and we received orders
to be prepared to withdraw from our part of the line,
which was to be taken over by a Canadian Division, and
to become G.H.Q. reserve.

Lieut. H. G. Goldsmith was wounded this day.

It was sometime before we could get any news of what
was taking place, but on the 23rd we learned that the
Boche had opened an attack with 45 divisions along a

62 WAR SERVICES

front of 50 miles, from the Oise to the Sensee, and thence
to the Scarpe, that he had retaken Ecoust, Noreuil, and
the Mort Homme heights, and that the 17th Corps on our
right had evacuated the important height of Monchy.
Further news came at mid-day that our 5th Army was
retiring on Peronne, and that the 3rd Army was also
being pressed back by sheer weight of numbers. Two
batteries of the 312th Brigade, A and B, withdrew from
the line that night, and went into action on the 24th in
positions close to Beaurains to support the 17th Corps.
My headquarters moved on the same day to Warlus,
and the 310th Brigade, and the remainder of the 312th,
were ordered to withdraw from the line that night and
march to the Warlus area.

Events, however, were moving rapidly, and at mid-
night on the 24th I received instructions to concentrate
at Ayette. The previous orders were at once counter-
manded ; the batteries at Beaurains were ordered to
withdraw from action forthwith and to march on Ayette,
where they were to be joined by the rest of the artillery,
which had just arrived at the Roclincourt wagon lines.
I left myself at 6 a.m. on the 25th and met the G.O.C.
at Ayette. Here we found orders awaiting us to push
on to Bucquoy. Our infantry began to arrive there
about mid-day, and, tired as they were after marching
all through the night, were at once thrown into the line
from Logeast Wood to Achiet-le-Petit, where the Boche
was attacking in great strength.

The scene in Bucquoy that morning and all through the
day was a remarkable one, never to be forgotten. For
hour after hour one continuous unbroken stream of
transport belonging to several different divisions passed
through the village retiring west towards Hannescamps.

THE GREAT GERMAN OFFENSIVE 63

Everything had to move along one rather narrow road
which, in bad enough condition to start with, became
execrable later on in the day, and one bad breakdown
of a lorry or wagon might have led to a disastrous block
and the ultimate loss of thousands of vehicles. Fortu-
nately the traffic control was admirably managed, and
the shell, which as the day wore on began to fall with
more and more frequency in the village, never happened
to find out the crowded road, so that that particular
disaster was averted. We moved on to the high ground
just east of Bucquoy, and were able to get a good view
of the general situation. We joined the Headquarter
Staffs of two other Divisions there, and heard from them
that our troops were still falling slowly back under great
and increasing pressure, and that there was actually a
large gap on the right through which our flank was in
imminent danger of being turned. As it was obvious
that my guns could be of no use in Bucquoy, and would
only make the confusion in the crowded village worse
confounded, General Braithwaite directed me to divert
their march if still possible, and to put them into action
near Monchy au Bois. The advanced parties arrived
about noon, and were sent back to Ayette, where they
were just in time to stop the brigades and turn them
off to the positions ordered.

General Braithwaite now assumed command, and we
found ourselves responsible for a tremendous number of
guns, consisting of several divisional artilleries. Nobody
seemed to know where they all were, some batteries
being in action, some on the move, and some in positions
of observation or readiness in rear. FitzGibbon,
however, did wonders, and, with the help of Trench, the
Signalling Officer, and Anderson the R.O., at last

64 WAR SERVICES

succeeded in locating and establishing communication
with the majority of them.

As night fell the shelling of Bucquoy grew very severe,
and orders were received from Corps Headquarters to
retire the infantry to a line covering Bucquoy, while
the Divisional Headquarters moved back to Foncque-
villers. It was a night of great stress and anxiety during
which there was no sleep for anyone ; the artillery was
safely withdrawn, and positions were taken up in the area
between Hannescamps and Les Essarts, my own weary
batteries having to move up from the positions they had
just occupied near Monchy. When the morning of the
26th dawned the infantry were holding their new line,
and the guns were nearly all in action. There was
desperate fighting throughout this day, in the course of
which our right was pressed back out of Puisieux. Head-
quarters was shelled constantly, as was the whole area
occupied by the artillery. Fortunately the enemy had
not yet had time to locate the battery positions, and the
shelling, being distributed over the whole country side,
caused fewer casualties than might have been expected.

The situation was most critical, as the gap on our
right flank still lay open to the enemy who kept pressing
up into it and actually got up to the outskirts of
Hebuterne in the afternoon. It seemed as though he
would succeed in getting round the rear of the division,
and many alarmist reports were rife as to the presence
of Huns in all sorts of unlikely places behind us. These
reports spread back for miles and caused a good deal of
commotion in the back area. It was believed that they
were propagated by German spies, and it may well have
been so. Certainly many suspicious cases were reported
of orders having been given to various units to retire at

THE GREAT GERMAN OFFENSIVE 65

once by red-tabbed officers who could never be identified
afterwards as belonging to the staff of any of the divisions
engaged. At least one such case occurred in the Divi-
sional Artillery; a Staff Officer hurried up to Major
Jephson, and, telling him that the enemy was working
round behind his Division, advised him to retire his
battery, C/310, before it should be too late. Jephson,
of course, declined to adopt the suggestion, and reported
the matter by telephone to Headquarters. He was from
there told to arrest the Staff Officer, but unfortunately by
the time the order got through to him the bird had flown.

That evening as the dusk was falling a group of us
were standing at a corner of Foncquevillers watching
Hebuterne rather anxiously, when an officer called out
that he could see a crowd of Huns on our side of that
village. Glasses were levelled on the place, and a very
brief inspection served to show that the men were
moving into and not out of the village. A moment
later, and a sharp-eyed officer declared that he could
make out the familiar slouched hats of the Australians.
In the gathering darkness it was hard to make certain of
this, but the arrival of an Australian Staff Officer a few
minutes later dispelled all doubts. The infantry brigade
to which he belonged had been rushed up to the critical
point, and by 8 p.m. it had occupied Hebuterne and
driven back the Hun patrols in front of that village,
thereby greatly easing the situation. Later on in the
night the New Zealand Division arrived after a wonder-
ful 29 mile march, and filled up the gap still further to
our right, from east of Colincamps to Beaumont Hamel.

The Military Cross was won this day by Lieuts. F.
Abrahams and A. C. Murray :

" As Battery Signalling Officer, Lieut. Abrahams,

66 WAR SERVICES

regardless of personal safety, superintended the mending
of wires under heavy shell fire, encouraging the signallers
and men of the battery in their task by his example of
energy and devotion to duty."

" When the line between the receiving station and the
guns, some 300 yards, was broken, Lieut. Murray
volunteered to take the orders from the station up to the
guns. He did this again and again under very heavy
fire. On a later date he carried out most useful observa-
tion from an O.P., in spite of continual shelling."

Bitter fighting went on on the 27th, when we beat off
five separate attacks, all made in great strength, and
killed large numbers of Huns. The hostile artillery fire
was again very intense on Headquarters and the area
occupied by the batteries. Lieut. W. P. Holt gained
his Military Cross for the following action :

" Finding that he could see little from his O.P., Lieut.
Holt worked forward to the infantry, and, returning,
sent back messages which obtained artillery support for
a counter-attack. He displayed marked courage and
enterprise in moving over the open under heavy fire and
keeping touch with the fighting infantry. The informa-
tion he sent back was most valuable."

Next day, the 28th, four attacks were made from the
direction of Puisieux. One especially, launched at
10 a.m. against the 5th Duke of Wellington's, was
delivered in tremendous strength, but the attacking
enemy troops were nearly annihilated, and the battalion
not only held its own, but captured some twenty prisoners.
The shelling of Foncquevillers had now grown so severe
that it became impossible to keep Divisional Head-
quarters there any longer and still maintain communica-
tion with the troops in front and the Corps Headquarters

THE GREAT GERMAN OFFENSIVE 67

in rear. We consequently moved to Souastre, leaving
an advanced signal station in Foncquevillers, at which
one officer of my staff always remained, taking it in
turns among them to do each a 24-hour spell of duty
there.

On this day Lieuts. L. C. Gane, M.C., and C. V.
Montgomery were wounded, and Capt. A. Senior was
awarded the Military Cross for " conspicuous gallantry
and devotion to duty " ; this decoration was also gained
by Capts. H. de B. Archer, Adjutant 310th Brigade,
and J. Miles, its Signalling Officer :

" On the 26th, 27th and 28th March, 1918, during
operations round Bucquoy, Capt. Archer sat, practically
in the open, for 72 hours by the telephone, receiving and
sending messages. He was constantly under shell fire,
and had to carry the telephone from spot to spot, to be
able to carry on. His coolness and thoroughness
throughout this period greatly helped and encouraged
the batteries. On the 25th and 26th March he also
carried out most useful reconnaissances under constant
heavy shell fire."

" On the 26th, 27th and 28th March, during operations
near Bucquoy, Capt. Miles established and maintained a
complete system of communication to all batteries of
the brigade, and all neighbouring formations taking
part in the operations. During the whole of this time
he was continuously laying or mending wires ; where
the shelling was most severe he had to go oftenest, and
did so with entire disregard for his personal safety. His
work (and the results of it) and his behaviour were
beyond all praise."

On the 29th fighting was still very severe, but our
front line was now more firmly consolidated, and it began

68 WAR SERVICES

to look as though the tremendous onslaught had been
checked not only here but all along the British front.
This was Good Friday, and it seemed very fitting that
the day which already means so much for humanity
should be still further consecrated as marking the first
serious check received by the opponents of all that
Christianity stands for. The following Divisional Order
was issued :

" The Divisional Commander knows that all ranks are
cheerfully bearing the strain of the prolonged fighting,
and he is proud of their endurance and fine fighting spirit.

" The Division is performing a very important role of
holding up the German advance in this part of the
battlefield, and the very heavy casualties inflicted on
the enemy are an earnest of their determined fighting.

" He congratulates all troops on their splendid
gallantry, and is confident in the continuation of the fine
resistance they are making to the enemy's attempts to
break our line.

" Well done, 62nd (West Riding) Division !

" Walter Braithwaite,
" 29/3/18. Major-General."

Lieut. G. A. Ellis was this day awarded the Military
Cross :

" He maintained communication and observed for his
battery throughout the day, though his O.P. was spotted
by the enemy and subjected to continuous rifle fire and
shelling. He twice mended the wire, which was cut
by shell fire, in the open."

Fifteen Military Medals were gained in the Divisional
Artillery during the fighting from the 21st to the end of
the month (v. Appendix).

THE GREAT GERMAN OFFENSIVE 69

During these strenuous days I had seven brigades of
Field Artillery under my command, disposed as follows :

Right group. 93rd and 235th Brigades.

Centre „ 187th, 236th and 310th Brigades.

Left ,, 190th and 312th Brigades.
And also the 54th, 71st, and 92nd Brigades of Heavy
Artillery.

On the 30th March Lieut. C. R. Witcher was again
wounded.

On the 1st April the 37th Division relieved our infantry
but the artillery remained unchanged,
April 1918. the batteries of the relieving division
not having arrived yet in the area.

On the 3rd April, Major J. Willey, Commanding A/312,
was killed, to the great sorrow of all who knew him. He
was a gallant, unassuming officer, with a rather diffident
and altogether charming manner, and the loss of so able
a battery commander at this critical time was felt
severely.

Early on the morning of April 5th the 37th Division
carried out an attack on Rossignol Wood and a position
running thence westwards, under cover of a barrage
from the guns, which was kept up from 5.30 to 7.30 a.m.
The enemy answered with a very heavy fire on all the
batteries, and especially on the headquarters of the
right group at Chateau la Haie. Here the Adjutant
of the 235th Brigade was wounded, and there were
several casualties among the telephonists. About 130
prisoners were captured, including four officers. It
soon appeared, however, that this local operation had
merely forestalled another tremendous German attack,
which reached its full force at about 10.45 a.m., and was
kept up all through this and the following day. The

70 WAR SERVICES

Boche bombardment was extraordinarily intense, and
stretched far into the back area. It included a large
amount of gas shell, concentrated chiefly on the 312th
Brigade, which was in action along a hedge close to and
south-west of Les Essarts. The brigade fought with
magnificent courage, and though inundated with gas
shell the batteries never failed to fire when called upon
throughout the day ; there was scarcely a man but had
his hands badly blistered by the foul mustard gas, while
many officers and men were temporarily blinded by it.
C/312 had a particularly terrible experience. All the
six officers with the guns, including Major M. R. H.
Crofton, D.S.O., were wounded or gassed, and the
majority of the gunners, while several guns were knocked
out. In fact by the evening the battery had ceased to
exist as a fighting unit, and it was about a fortnight
before it could take an active share again in the fighting.
Much sympathy was felt for the gallant Battery
Commander, Major Crofton. He had already been
three or four times wounded during the war, and on this
day orders arrived appointing him to the command of a
brigade, a promotion which he was unable to avail him-
self of owing to this fresh wound. It was particularly
bad luck, as he had once before missed promotion in
Mesopotamia for the same reason, having been badly
wounded on the day on which he was appointed to a
command.

The enemy suffered a sanguinary defeat, being
repulsed by our troops with tremendous loss at all
points, except that he gained possession of a small
corner of Bucquoy.

Major G. A. Swain was awarded the Military Cross
for his gallant behaviour on the 5th. His battery,

THE GREAT GERMAN OFFENSIVE 71

D/312, fired no less than 2600 rounds while under the
heavy gas bombardment referred to above.

During the two days' fighting the following officers
were wounded in addition to Major Crofton :

Lieut. H. F. Nowill, M.C. \

. G. Sharpling J '

,, F. G. Sharpling

Capt. A. Senior

Lieut. J. B. Boden, M.C

S. A. Rissik
„ E. W. Puttock

A. E. Stuttle

10.

all of C/312.

Although the Boche had failed so disastrously on this
occasion, his resources in men and guns seemed to be
unlimited, and he still kept up his daily attacks with
unremitting vigour. Our troops were exhausted almost
beyond the limits of human endurance, and the first
three weeks of the great offensive seemed to us like as
many months — a period of constant danger and anxiety,
unceasing hardships, and utter fatigue. The news from
other fronts was of so sinister a nature that it might
well have driven even the bravest of men to despair.
Amongst our splendid troops, however, there was never
any thought of further retreat, and the following
stirring order, issued by the Commander-in-Chief on
the nth April, only served to confirm the resolution
already taken by every officer and man in the British
army to hold back the hated enemy as long as there was
a gun or rifle left to fire at him :

" To all ranks of the British army in France and
Flanders.

" Three weeks ago to-day the enemy began his terrific
attacks against us on a fifty-mile front. His objects

72 WAR SERVICES

are to separate us from the French, to take the Channel
ports, and destroy the British army.

" In spite of throwing already 106 Divisions into the
battle, and enduring the most reckless sacrifice of human
life, he has as yet made little progress towards his goal.

' We owe this to the determined fighting and self-
sacrifice of our troops. Words fail me to express the
admiration which I feel for the splendid resistance
offered by all ranks of our army under the most trying
circumstances.

' Many amongst us now are tired. To those I would
say that victory will belong to the side which holds out
the longest. The French army is moving rapidly and
in great force to our support.

" There is no other course open to us but to fight it
out. Every position must be held to the last man ;
there must be no retirement. With our backs to the
wall, and believing in the justice of our cause, each one
of us must fight on to the end. The safety of our homes
and the freedom of mankind alike depend upon the
conduct of each one of us at this critical moment.

"D. Haig,
" Commander-in-Chief British Armies in France."

Divisional Headquarters were now at Henu, and on
the 1 8th a readjustment of the artillery took place,
bringing back the 310th to cover their own instead of
the 37th Division. The right group now consisted of the
310th and 312th Brigades, and the 187th Brigade, while
the 26th, 295th and 296th Brigades formed the left
group. The headquarters of the right group was
established in a dug-out at Chateau la Haie, and the
batteries of the 62nd Divisional Artillery, which had

THE GREAT GERMAN OFFENSIVE 73

been in the Essarts area, were now distributed about
between Foncquevillers and Sailly au Bois. This was
not quite so unpleasant an area as the one they had left,
and things gradually became a little less strenuous.
By the 19th April a French army had arrived in our
support, and though it was not brought into action, the
knowledge of its presence in close proximity to us was
very reassuring.

The infantry of the Division was withdrawn from the
line for a rest on the 24th April, and our headquarters
moved back to Pas en Artois. The artillery remained
in action, and had settled down by the end of the month
to the old familiar routine of trench warfare. We had
six more officers wounded during April, viz. :

Lieut. E. H. Vanderpump April 7th.

Major E. W. Jephson, M.C. „ 8th (for the third

Lieut. E. J. C. Sheppard „ nth. time).

„ J. E. Mcllroy „ 18th.

Major W. F. Tuthill „ 22nd.

Lieut. A. E. Cockerell „ 22nd.

Twenty-four Military Medals were awarded during
the month (v. Appendix).

I insert here a message received from Her Majesty the
Queen. The generous sympathy shown for us by all at
home, and their unshaken confidence in the army had
been a source of great comfort and support to us all
during the ordeal we had passed through, and Her
Majesty's gracious and touching words were highly
appreciated :

" From H.M. the Queen to F.M. Sir Douglas Haig.
" 29/4/18.

" To the men of our Navy, Army, and Air Force, I

74 WAR SERVICES

send this message to tell every man how much we, the
women of the British Empire at home, watch and pray
for you during the long hours of these days of stress and
endurance. Our pride in you is immeasurable, our hope
unbounded, our trust absolute. You are fighting in the
cause of righteousness and freedom, fighting to defend
the children and women of our land from the horrors
that have overtaken other countries, fighting for our
very existence as a people at home and across the seas.
You are offering your all. You hold back nothing, and
day by day you show a love so great that no man can
have greater. We, on our part, send forth with full
hearts and unfaltering will the lives we hold most dear.
We, too, are striving in all ways possible to make the
war victorious. I know that I am expressing what is
felt by thousands of wives and mothers when I say that
we are determined to help one another in keeping your
homes ready against your glad home-coming. In God's
name we bless you, and by His help we, too, will do our
best.

" Mary R."

The following special order of the day was published
on the 9th May :

May 1918. " I wish to convey to all ranks of the
Royal Regiment of Artillery my deep
appreciation of the splendid service rendered by them
in all stages of the Somme and Lys battles since the
opening of the enemy's attack.

" The difficult conditions imposed by a defensive fight
against greatly superior numbers have been faced with
the same skill, courage and devotion to duty which
characterised the work of all branches of the artillery

THE GREAT GERMAN OFFENSIVE 75

through the offensive battles of 1917. With less
constant and loyal co-operation on the part of both
field, heavy, and siege batteries, the great bravery and
determination of the infantry could scarcely have
availed to hold up the enemy's advance. The infantry
are the first to admit the inestimable value of the
artillery support so readily given them on all occasions.
' The knowledge possessed by each arm, doubly
confirmed by the severe tests already passed through
successfully, that it can rely with absolute confidence
upon the most whole-hearted and self-sacrificing co-
operation of the other, is the greatest possible assurance
that all further assaults of the enemy will be met and
defeated. I thank the artillery for what it has already
done, and count without fear of disappointment upon
the maintenance of the same gallant spirit and high
standard of achievement in the future.

" D. Haig, F.M.,
:< Commander-in-Chief British Armies in France."

Lieut. J. Owen was wounded on the 10th May by a
shell that entered his dug-out at Sailly au Bois.

During May and June there was not much activity
on our front. We got many warnings from prisoners
and other sources of the imminence of a further offensive,
and on the 26th May especially an unusually severe
bombardment, extending to the back areas, seemed to
presage a fresh German effort. Nothing however came
of it, except that on this latter date a big attack was
started against the French near Reims. Our Head-
quarters came in for a good deal of unpleasant attention,
chiefly from a high velocity gun firing from near Bapaume

76 WAR SERVICES

which bombarded us with especial intensity
June 1918. on the 18th and 19th May, and on the 9th
June. We were also considerably annoyed
by bombing aeroplanes at night, and early in the morning
of the 17th June several bombs fell very close to the
chateau in which we lived. One bomb on this occasion
burst ten yards from a small shanty in which two men
were sleeping. Fortunately the inside of the hut had
been dug down about 2 J feet, and the men were lying
below the ground level, with the happy result that
although the hut was blown to fragments the men inside
were absolutely unhurt. The batteries were subjected
to a good many bombardments, but generally without
much effect. D/310, however, had an unfortunate
experience on the nth June. A 5.9 shell penetrated
one of their dug-outs, going through 12 feet of earth
before it burst and killing all the six men who were inside
it at the time. Major Foot, who commanded this
battery, was at the time studying the duties of Brigade
Major at headquarters, and I may mention here that,
in order to have understudies always ready to take the
place of any Staff Officer who might become casualties,
there was generally a Regimental Officer attached to my
headquarters to learn the work. We had a good many
officers in the Divisional Artillery who had been trained
in this way, and who were quite competent to take on
the respective duties at a moment's notice. Majors
Eeles and Foot, and Capts. Archer and Middleton did
particularly good work of this sort at one time or another.
Several raiding operations were carried out by us.
On the night of the 25th May our guns supported the
57th Division in a raid which resulted in the capture of
eleven prisoners, and at 1 a.m. on the 18th June we fired

THE GREAT GERMAN OFFENSIVE y7

off a thousand gas projectors at Ablainzeville, the guns
and trench mortars firing a barrage through the village
at the same time. The mortars that took part in this
operation were firing from a position barely 400 yards
from the Boche line, which had been selected by
Bottomley, who had succeeded Powell as Trench Mortar
Officer. It was a very dangerous and badly " strafed "
place, but the risk was well worth taking, and the
mortars were a constant thorn in the enemy's side. For
obvious reasons the results of operations of this sort
could very rarely be ascertained, but in this instance
we were more fortunate for we learned from a document,
captured in the following August, that the Germans
lost in this gas attack two officers and 51 men killed,
and 66 gassed, all of the 12th Bavarian R.I.R.

There were two rather notable events in the wagon
lines during this period. On the 19th May, Whit-
Sunday, General Braithwaite attended a parade service
there and presented a large number of Military Medals.
He took the occasion to make us a very graceful speech
and to congratulate all ranks on their courage and fine
behaviour during the trying days of the great offensive.

On the 16th June he inspected the D.A.C. and pre-
sented three Distinguished Service Medals which had
been won by Indian drivers. The Indians, as I have
said before, were a very useful lot of men, and could
always be counted upon to obey orders, however difficult
and dangerous the execution of them might be. In fact,
as the following incident shows, the literal way in which
they tried to obey their orders was sometimes carried to
excess. Sometime during April, when the fighting was
at its hottest, some wagons of the D.A.C, driven by
Indian drivers, were carrying ammunition up to a

78 WAR SERVICES

battery near Essarts. The drivers of one of the wagons
were making their first trip up to the battery area, and
one of the instructions given them was that they must
on no account leave anything behind them when they
returned, however heavily they might be shelled. As
luck would have it this wagon had a very bad time of it,
the British N.C.O. with it being badly wounded, and two
out of the six mules being killed. The drivers behaved
very well, finished their job of delivering ammunition,
and brought back the wounded man safely. They
were, however, full of apologies on their return to camp ;
they had done their utmost, they said, to load up the
two dead mules on to the wagon, but although they had
tried their hardest for about an hour under heavy fire,
they had had to give it up at last as beyond their
powers.

On the 14th June a rather disturbing order came out,
reducing our establishment of horses and mules ; the
first line wagons and all the ammunition wagons of the
D.A.C. were henceforth to be drawn by four instead of
six horses. No doubt this step was unavoidable owing
to the shortage of animals, but it added enormously to
the difficulties of ammunition supply for the rest of the
war.

On the 18th the 312th Brigade, which had been
supporting the Division on our right for some time past,
moved across to the neighbourhood of Foncquevillers
and joined its own division again.

In the Gazette of the 3rd June, Lieut. -Colonel F. A.
Woodcock and Major C. A. Eeles were awarded the
D.S.O.

Nine Military Medals were awarded during May and
June (v. Appendix), and two Military Crosses — to Lieuts.

THE GREAT GERMAN OFFENSIVE 79

H. O. Schofield on the gth June and Harold Smith on
the 23rd :

" When a shell burst in a gun pit, set the camouflage
on fire and damaged the gun, Lieut. Schofield, with a
non-commissioned officer (Corpl. Edwin Burton, D.C.M.)
rushed to the spot, and, despite continuous enemy
shelling and the dangerously overheated condition of the
ammunition, they removed the clinometer and a large
number of rounds to a place of safety and put out the
fire, thereby saving much ammunition."

" During a destructive shoot on the battery, Lieut. H.
Smith, with the assistance of a N.C.O., removed all dial
sights from the guns, carrying them to a place of safety.
Later, when the camouflage on the pit caught fire from a
direct hit, he, with the help of two men, cleared the
burning stuff away and removed ammunition whilst
rounds were exploding and the battery was still under
heavy fire. He eventually put out the fire, and thereby
saved a gun from destruction."

On the 25 th June the Division withdrew from the
line to go into G.H.Q. reserve, and the sorely tried
batteries at last got a brief spell of peace, and went into
rest billets in and about Orville, Amplier, and Sarton.

Chapter V

WITH THE 5TH FRENCH ARMY

" 0 torn out of thy trance,
0 deathless, 0 my France,
0 many wounded mother, 0 redeemed to reign.

Out of the obscene eclipse
Re-risen with burning lips,
To witness for us if we looked for thee in vain.'"

Swinburne.

Comfortable billets and beautiful summer weather,
with sports, entertainments given by the excellent

" Pelican Troupe," and other distractions,
July 1918. contributed to make the rest a very pleasant

one, but it was not to last long. On about
the 12th July the Division was ordered to prepare for a
move to an unknown destination, and on the 15th the
artillery entrained and was taken south through Paris.
That all units had made good use of their time in a
peaceful area is proved by this letter, which the G.O.C.
received from the General commanding the R.A. of
the 4th Corps :

" My dear General, — I saw your artillery entraining
at two stations on the 15th. I saw portions of six
batteries and the D.A.C.

WITH THE 5th FRENCH ARMY 81

" I told the Corps Commander that I have seldom
seen horses in such magnificent condition, or a better
turn-out of men, horses and vehicles. They might
have been proceeding for a ceremonial show in London,
instead of going to take part in a battle.

" I told the Battery Commanders how sorry we are in
the Corps to part with your Division. We know the
Division and the Division knows the Corps, and all our
battle associations have been happy and successful.

' We sincerely hope that the gallant Pelicans will
come back to us.

" I thought you would like to hear about your
artillery. They certainly impressed all who saw them
very much, and I am sure that they will impress our
Allies. . . .

" Yours very sincerely,

" J. G. Geddes."

On the 15th July the enemy began a big attack on a
front of 50 miles, each side of Reims, and the Division,
which was originally, I believe, to have gone to Verdun,
was diverted while still in the troop trains towards the
Reims front, and by the 18th had been detrained and
billeted in an area between Arcis and Epernay, with
headquarters at Tours Sur Marne. We now learned that
we, with the 51st Highland Division, had been formed
into the 22nd Corps, under command of Lieut. -General
Sir A. Godley, and were for the time being a part of the
5th French Army. We heard, too, the cheering news
that not only had the German offensive been definitely
checked, but that the French had counter-attacked on a
long front from Soissons southwards, and, in addition

82 WAR SERVICES

to advancing several kilometres, had captured about
17,000 prisoners.

Late at night on the 18th I was aroused by the news
that we were to advance at once and take our place in
the line of battle. Accordingly we moved our head-
quarters on the 19th to Germaine, in the forest of Reims,
while the two brigades and the D.A.C. concentrated
near Avenay and Fontaine. In the afternoon I rode out
with the Brigade and Battery Commanders, and
reconnoitred a position of assembly in the forest, out of
view of aeroplane observation. Early next morning the
batteries moved up into this position, while the Divisional
Headquarters was established in the village of St. Imoges.
The D.A.C. took up its position close to the Reims —
Epernay road, about two miles east of Courtagnon.

At 8 a.m. the French artillery attached to the Division
opened a barrage, under which our infantry attacked
Marfaux and the Bois de Reims. While in their positions
of readiness the artillery was unmolested except by a
chance shell, which unfortunately burst on a sub-section
of B/312, killing six men and wounding two officers
(Lieuts. J. M. Whitworth and W. Burt) and five men.
As the fight progressed the brigades were ordered into
action, and by 6 p.m. all batteries were in position in the
Patis d'Ecueil, with the exception of C/312, which came
into action about 800 yards west of Courtagnon Farm.
Lieut. P. K. Baillie-Reynolds was also wounded this day.
Lieut. G. A. Ellis added a bar to the Military Cross which
he had won in March : " He carried an officer, who was
wounded in the battery O.P., back to safety through a
heavy barrage, and then returned to his post to observe
the progress of the attack, sending back valuable infor-
mation. Later on, when the battery of which he was

WITH THE 5th FRENCH ARMY 83

left in charge was heavily shelled, he promptly moved
the men. His coolness and judgment prevented many
casualties."

At 10 a.m. on Sunday the 21st we launched an attack
against the wooded ridge running north-west from the
north of Cuitron. The enemy offered a stubborn
resistance, and neither we nor the 51st were able to make
much progress. Firing was almost continuous during
the day and night, sometimes at the request of our own
infantry and sometimes of the French on our right.

Next day we attacked the Bois du Petit Champ just
north of Cuitron, and by 4 p.m. we had taken the wood,
making prisoners over 200 Huns and capturing 30
machine guns. Lieuts. H. E. Stephens and V. A. H.
Draper were wounded, and about ten men were killed or
wounded.

At 6 a.m. on the 23rd July the Division attacked under
a barrage of our own artillery and French guns, and
captured the villages of Marfaux and Cuitron, together
with 130 prisoners and about 30 more machine guns.
We also recovered a battery of French guns which had
been lost in the opening offensive. Several batteries
fired as many as 600 rounds per gun, and the infantry
declared that the barrage was magnificent. The
prisoners were in a great state of depression, and reported
that their losses from our artillery fire had been enormous.
This was no more than we expected, for large bodies of
the enemy had frequently presented ideal targets to our
guns throughout the day, and the batteries had taken
full advantage of their opportunity. Divisional Head-
quarters moved to Hautvillers in the evening.

The 24th July was spent chiefly in consolidating the
positions won. The artillery fire was mainly in support

84 WAR SERVICES

of the 77th French division on our right. Boche
aeroplanes were very active during the night, and the
D.A.C. were particularly unfortunate, losing 26 animals
killed and 20 wounded from hostile bombs. In the two
brigades about nine horses were killed, and there were
several casualties among the men. Lieut. W. H. House,
United States Army, who was attached to the D.A.C.
as Medical Officer, was awarded the M.C. for gallantry on
this occasion. A great many bombs fell in the vicinity of
our headquarters, and a large ammunition dump, in
the valley about a mile distant, was set on fire, and
went on exploding all through the night with tre-
mendous detonations. The spectacle as viewed from
the roof of our billet was a very grand and awe-
inspiring one ; the loss of ammunition to the French
must have been very serious.

The following letter referred to the work of these last
few days :

" Le General Serrigny, C.B., C.M.G.,
" Commandant la 77me Division d'lnfanterie.
" a Monsieur le General Commandant

" La 62me Division Britannique.
" le 26 Juillet, 1918.
" Mon General,

" I'ai l'honneur de vous prier de vouloir bien trans-
mettre au Commandant de l'Artillerie Britannique
placee sur vos ordres mes remerciements pour le concours
efficace qu'elle a prete a ma Division au cours des attaques
sur le bois de Reims et le chateau de Commetreuil.

" L'enlevement difficile de cette region boisee avait
ete prepare par les actions energiques menees par la 62me
D. I. Britannique pendant les journees precedentes ;

WITH THE 5th FRENCH ARMY 85

l'appui de l'artillerie anglaise pour les operations des 22
et 23 Juillet a facilite grandement la tache de la jjme
D. I. francaise.

" Je vous exprime, au nom des troupes sur mes ordres,
toute leur gratitude, et vous prie d'agreer l'expression
de ma consideration la plus distinguee.

" Serrigny."

On the 25th and 26th July preparations were made
for a further attack, and dumps at battery positions
were made up to 600 rounds per 18-pounder, and 500
rounds per howitzer. The 310th Headquarters at the
Ferme d'Ecueil was heavily shelled on the 26th, and had
to be moved a few hundred yards. Lieut. -Colonel
Sherlock on this occasion showed great personal
gallantry in removing wounded men under very heavy
fire. It rained heavily in the evening, and a cloudy
night kept the bombers from troubling us.

At 6 a.m. on the 27th the Corps launched a fresh
attack. It was completely successful, and by 11.30 a.m.
we had captured the villages of Espilly and Nappe.
After the attack the batteries advanced one at a time,
and were all in their new positions before dark, the 310th
in the Bois du petit Champ, and the 312th close to and
west of Pourcy. We moved our headquarters to
Nanteuil in the evening. It was raining hard, and the
move was rather a cheerless one, the more so as the
enemy was shelling the village hard when we entered it.
Lieut. E. S. Lloyd gained the Military Cross for gallant
and distinguished conduct in this day's action.

By this time I had under my command, in addition to
my own artillery, 12 batteries of French Field Artillery
and six French heavy batteries.

86 WAR SERVICES

On the 28th the 312th Brigade moved forward at
dawn to positions west of Marfaux, and supported a
successful attack by the 185th Infantry Brigade on the
Montagne de Bligny. The D.A.C. advanced to the
vicinity of Courtagnon.

On the 29th we consolidated and pushed patrols
forward, and there was some very hard fighting. The
310th Brigade moved at dawn to positions north of
Cuitron, and engaged many moving targets with direct
observation firing about 1500 rounds per battery during
the day. D/310 engaged three hostile batteries with
great success. Shortly after mid-day A/310 and C/310
advanced in full view of the enemy to positions near the
Moulin de Chaumuzy and engaged machine guns which
were annoying the infantry. The 312th also advanced
two batteries in close support ; B/312 trotted into a
position near Chaumuzy under heavy fire, and suffered a
few casualties.

Orders came in the afternoon for the British Corps to
be withdrawn from the line and entrained to another
destination, and after supporting a small operation
from 7.45 to 8.45 p.m. the 310th withdrew to their
wagon lines.

The 312th Brigade fired, in the early morning of the
30th, in support of a French advance, and then withdrew
at 10 a.m. to St. Imoges and thence to Aigny. Divisional
Headquarters moved back to Hautvillers.

The Divisional Artillery then marched to Chalons and
Coolus, where they entrained on the 1st and 2nd August,
and returned to our old neighbourhood. Headquarters
were in Pas, the 310th Brigade in Couin, the 312th in
Bus, and the D.A.C. in Authie St. Leger.

So ended a very interesting and exciting experience.

WITH THE 5th FRENCH ARMY 87

I think we all felt it a great privilege to have been selected
as part of the force sent to help our French comrades
against a formidable offensive, and we found them so
cordial and pleasant, and so easy to get on with, that we
all carried away very agreeable memories of our connec-
tion with their 5th Army, in spite of the strenuous
nature of the fighting and the many hardships and
dangers which we had to face. The fighting was of
quite a new and unaccustomed type. It was moving,
as opposed to trench warfare, and batteries were
continually changing position, and had no more protec-
tion than they could dig for themselves in the intervals
of firing ; they took to it as readily as if they had done
nothing else all through the war, and, in spite of all the
difficulties of ammunition supply and keeping up com-
munications in the thickly wooded country, they were
always ready to open fire up to time, and to support the
infantry in their rapid advances. This could only be
achieved, however, by the unremitting exertion of every
officer, N.C.O., and man, who were fighting and toiling
night and day without shelter of any sort, and with never
more than a chance hour or two of sleep at a time, from
the 20th to the 30th July. Although the infantry
suffered very severely, our casualties were not heavy,
owing to the indifferent counter-battery work of the
enemy, and to the excellent habit, which had become a
second nature in all the batteries, of digging themselves
in directly a position was occupied. The total losses in
the Divisional Artillery in the ten days' fighting were
only five officers wounded, nine other ranks killed,
and about 60 other ranks wounded.

As some indication of the extent of artillery activity
while with the 5th French army, I note here the

88 WAR SERVICES

number of rounds handled during the period by the

D.A.C. :

From railhead to reserve dump, 18-pr. How.

by lorry 55»7°5 18,450

Delivered to the guns from the

reserve dump by limbers . . 52>321 I7»476
Eight Military Medals were awarded in connection with
the operations, and also one Legion of Honour and nine
Croix de Guerre (v. Appendix).

The following special order of the day was issued on
the 31st July by Maj. -General Braithwaite :

" The operations which commenced on the 20th July
were brought to a successful termination at midnight on
the 30th July.

" During the whole of this period the 62nd Division
has had continuous fighting, manoeuvring, and marching
in new and hitherto unknown country of a character
entirely different from anything in which it has operated
before during this campaign. Especially have the
densely wooded slopes of the Bois de Reims been a
difficulty for troops unaccustomed to wood fighting.

" But neither the difficulty of the country, nor the
determined and bitter resistance of the enemy, have
militated against the victorious operations of the
Division.

" The Division made a great name for itself at the
battle of Cambrai. It enhanced that reputation at
Bucquoy, where it withstood the attacks of some of the
best of the German troops, up to that time flushed with
success. It has in this great battle set the seal on its
already established reputation as a fighting force of the
first quality.

WITH THE 5th FRENCH ARMY 89

" During the period, it has been fighting with its
comrades of the French army, and side by side with the
51st (Highland) Division, the 62nd (West Riding) Divi-
sion has utterly defeated the 123rd German Division,
which had to be withdrawn on the 22nd inst., and the
50th German Division (an assault division of the first
rank) shared a similar fate a few days later.

" The fortitude, steadfastness, and valour of all
ranks has been beyond praise.

" Marfaux, Cuitron, Bouilly the clearing of the Bois du
Petit Champ, attest your gallantry, while Espilly,
Nappes, the advance up the Ardre Valley, and the
capture of Bligny and the Montagne de Bligny are
evidence of your sustained valour.

" To every officer, warrant officer, non-commissioned
officer and private soldier 1 tender my grateful thanks,
and express my unstinted admiration of their victorious
efforts. They have gloriously upheld the highest
traditions of the British Army.

" It is with intense pride that, once again after a great
victory I have the honour to sign myself as Commander
of the 62nd (West Riding) Division.

" Walter Braithwaite,

" Major-General."

The Corps had also the honour of receiving a compli-
mentary order from General Berthelot in the following
terms :

" Ordre General No. 63 le 30 Juillet, 1918.

" Au moment ou le XXII. C. A. Britannique est
appele a quitter la Vme Arm£e, le General Commandant
l'Armee lui exprime toute la reconnaissance et toute

go WAR SERVICES

l'admiration qu'ont merite les hauts faits qu'il vient
d'accomplir.

" A peine debarque, tenant a l'honneur de participer a
la contre offensive victorieuse qui venait d'arreter la
furieuse ruee de l'ennemi sur la Marne, et commencait a
le rejeter en desordre vers le Nords, precipitant ses
mouvements, reduisant a 1 'extreme la duree de ses recon-
naissances, le XXII. C. A. s'est jete avec ardeur dans la
melee.

' Poussant sans repit ses efforts, harcellant, talonnant
l'ennemi, il a, pendant 10 jours successifs d'apres
combats, fait sienne cette vallee de l'Ardre largement
arrosee de son sang.

" Grace au courage heroique, et a la tenacite prover-
biale des fils de la Grande Bretagne, les efforts continus
et repetes de ce brave Corps d'Armee n'ont pas etes
vains ;

" 21 omciers, plus de 1300 soldats prisonniers, 140
mitrailleuses, 40 canons, enleves a l'ennemi, dont 4
divisions ont ete successivement malmenees et refoulees,

" la haute vallee de l'Ardre reconquise avec les hau-
teurs qui la dominent au Nord et au Sud.

" tel est le bilan de la participation Britannique a
l'effort de la Vme Armee.

" Ecossais de la Montagne, sous le commandement du
General Carter-Campbell, Commandant la 5ime Division !

' Enfants de Yorkshire, sous le commandement du
General Braithwaite, commandant la 62nd Division !

" Cavaliers Neo-Zelandais et Australiens !

' Vous tous, officers et soldats du 22me C.A., si brilla-
ment command e par le General Sir A. Godley, vous
venez d'ajoutir une page glorieus^ a votre histoire.

" Marfaux, Chaumuzy, Montagne de Bligny, ces noms

WITH THE 5th FRENCH ARMY 91

prestigieux pourront etre ecrits en lettres d'or dans les
annales de vos regiments.

" Vos amis Francais se souviendront avec emotion de
votre brillant bravoure, et de votre parfaite cameraderie
de combat.

" Le General Commandant la Vme Armee,

" Berthelot."

The G.O.C. also received the following letter from
Sir A. Godley :

" I am very sorry not to have been able to see any
of your artillery on coming out of the battle. I had
hoped to do so, but could not manage it. I should be
very glad if you would convey to them my most grateful
thanks and high appreciation of all the good work that
they have done during the last ten days. The way in
which batteries worked with battalions, and brigades
with brigades of infantry, in open warfare, must have
been a source of enormous satisfaction to all officers,
non-commissioned officers, and men, and the way hi
which it was done is worthy of the best traditions of the
Royal Regiment. Will you please convey my heartiest
congratulations to all ranks."

Chapter VI

THE FINAL TRIUMPH

' The Right Hand of the Lord hath the pre-eminence.
The Right Hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to
Pass." — Psalm cxviii.

On the 8th August the 4th Army launched a completely
successful attack west of Amiens, and an
Aug. 1918. offensive on a large scale was then decided
on in which our Army, the third, was to
participate. The 62nd Division was in reserve, but its
artillery was temporarily placed under the 37th Division,
and took up positions between Essarts and Bucquoy.
The attack began on the 21st with a substantial victory.
Our troops advanced through and beyond Bucquoy,
Ablainzeville, and Moyenville, and later on in the day
captured Achiet le Petit and Courcelles. In this action
Lieut. A. G. Bennett was awarded the Military Cross :
" On the 21st August Lieut. Bennett was in charge of a
section of trench mortars, and took part in the barrage
preceding the attack on Bucquoy. In spite of the
difficulties due to misfires, owing to dampness of charges
on account of the atmospheric conditions, he succeeded
in firing the whole of the hundred rounds in ten minutes,
the shooting being excellent. On completion of the
barrage he went forward with the infantry to reconnoitre,

THE FINAL TRIUMPH 93

taking with him Gunner E. Wendrop, M.M. In Bucquoy
they met four of the enemy partly concealed, who had
been overlooked by the first wave, and who were then
sniping our men from the rear. With difficulty they
got round them, and then rushed them, taking them
prisoners."

The artillery pushed on, and on the 23rd our batteries
supported the 4th Corps in another great attack, which
resulted in the capture of Achiet le Grand, Bihucourt,
and Irles. Our casualties were not heavy, but unhappily
we lost one officer killed, Lieut. J. C. Massey-Beresford.
That same evening the 62nd Divisional Artillery were
withdrawn to Bertrancourt, and thence marched to join
the 38th Division in an attack from the neighbourhood
of Aveluy Wood. They remained with this division
until the 6th September, and took part in the arduous
advance from the Ancre to the Tortille river, being in
action as the fight progressed in and about the ruined
remains of the historical villages of Pozieres, Bazentin,
Flers, Morval, Mesnil, and Manancourt. I myself, with
my Headquarter Staff, was with the artillery supporting
the 62nd Division all this time, during its advance from
Behagnies to the neighbourhood of Morchies ; un-
fortunately, therefore, I am unable to describe the
operations of the 62nd Divisional Artillery in detail, but
they entailed very heavy fighting and continuous hard
work. Major R. C. Foot has kindly furnished the
following notes of the experiences of the 310th Brigade :

" Early on the 24th August we marched to Bouzin-
court, where battery commanders went forward. The
38th Division had crossed the Ancre and made good
Albert, but the enemy were still holding Tara and Usna
Hills, which overlook Albert from the east. Our orders

94 WAR SERVICES

were to take up positions east of the river to cover the
next morning's advance. The three 18-pounder batteries
went into action on the low ground east of the river that
night, and I went in by the goods station close to the
river. I remember we had to have 200 rounds per
howitzer that night, which meant that the horses were
on the road all night after 48 hours practically con-
tinuous marching.

" On the morning of the 25th we fired a barrage to
cover the attack ; Tara and Usna Hills were taken with
three 77 mm. guns and some prisoners. That afternoon
the 310th Brigade went into action near the crest in front
of La Boisselle. The infantry advanced this evening
and the next day, with little opposition after the
morning's success.

" On the 26th the brigade was in action in the valley
between Contalmaison and Pozieres. That evening B/310
and D/310 did a combined shoot on a counter attack by
two companies of the 3rd Grenadier Regiment, made
against the right brigade of the 38th Division ; the
Germans came out of Trones Wood across the open,
and Jim Currie (commanding B/310) caught them
beautifully ; we counted about 40 dead there next
morning.

On the 27th we were in action by Mametz Wood and
Bazentin Wood. Here we fired a barrage for an attack
on the Longueval — Guillemont area that morning. The
28th saw us in action at Ginchy covering the advance on
Morval, which proved rather a difficult place to take.
Here Latter behaved very gallantly under heavy
shelling, for which he was subsequently awarded the
M.C. I had some very nice shooting from here on some
infantry dragging light trench mortars ; I hit two

THE FINAL TRIUMPH 95

teams and counted 12 dead and all three mortars left
there next day.

" We remained at Ginchy two days, and on the 30th
went into action at Morval. From this position we
covered the advance on Sailly Saillisel Ridge, which
was taken on September 1st.

" Reconnoitring the long forward slope down to the

Canal du Nord at Manancourt on the

Sept. 1918. 2nd was a nasty job, and some 38th

Division batteries who were pushed on

in front of us here had a bad time. Meanwhile my

battery moved up close behind Sailly Saillisel.

" On the evening of the 3rd we moved up close to the
canal. I went in rear of B/310, about 800 yards from
the canal, which our infantry were to cross in the
morning. By bad luck I came under a German gas
concentration, which lasted from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. I
had to stay there to fire a barrage, and consequently
got about 90 per cent, of the men at my gun positions
gassed. We were digging, and carrying ammunition
all night ; the position was close to Manancourt. Nelson
got an M.C. for his work that night.

" The Brigade crossed the canal on the 5th, but on the
6th was withdrawn from action. The advance had been
18 miles as the crow flies, in 13 days, over the old
Somme battlefield."

The official records of the two Military Crosses men-
tioned in the above account are as follows :

" When ordered to reconnoitre at Ginchy for a gun
position for an advance, Lieut. Latter found the enemy
in possession of the area, and sweeping all approaches
with machine gun fire. He successfully marked a
position, although he was at times in the open within

g6 WAR SERVICES

300 yards of the hostile machine guns. Later, in com-
mand of a detached section, he displayed great gallantry
and initiative, moving to and fro several times from his
section to the main battery position for orders, in prefer-
ence to sending runners from his men."

" Lieut. H. G. Nelson : when his battery came into
action in a forward position it was heavily shelled with
gas, but with great courage and determination he moved
about encouraging his men. Later, when two of his
guns received direct hits, he kept them in action,
removing the casualties himself. His disregard for his
own safety was a splendid example to his men, and
enabled them to maintain the fire of their guns when this
appeared impossible."

Four officers were wounded during these operations,
Lieuts. F. R. Stuart, W. J. Green, J. C. Harker, and
H. G. Nelson. Eight Military Medals were gained
(v. Appendix). Lieut. N. Hess won a bar on the 1st
September to the M.C., which he gained in November 17,
and Lieut. E. C. Lintern was awarded the Military Cross
for the following action on the 3rd September at Mesnil :

" When during night harassing fire one of the guns of
D/312 burst, killing two and wounding two of his
detachment and setting fire to the pit, he and a gunner
at once went to the assistance of the wounded men.
They removed burning charges which had been blown
into the ammunition recess, and succeeded in preventing
an explosion and keeping down the fire, until other help
was forthcoming and the fire was put out. His prompt
action prevented further loss of life."

The following letter was received by the Divisional
Commander from the G.O.C. 38th Division :

" I have experienced the great honour and privilege

THE FINAL TRIUMPH 97

of having under my command, from the 21st August to
the 5th September, 1918, the artillery of your Division.

" This Division has attacked on a 3000 yard front for
16 days consecutively with a truly remarkable success.
I attribute this success to a great degree to the
magnificent support I have received from the Field
Artillery. On many occasions batteries of your artillery
have literally moved parallel with my advancing
infantry. Their dash, determination, and staying power
are above all praise.

" I wish especially to bring to your notice the gallant
and distinguished conduct of Lieut. -Colonel D. J.
Sherlock, D.S.O., and Lieut. -Colonel A. G. Eden."

This battle from the 21st to 31st August is now officially
known as the Battle of Bapaume, which, runs the
official account, turning the flank of the German posi-
tions on the Somme compelled the enemy to withdraw
to the east bank of the river. Here 23 divisions defeated
35 German divisions, capturing 34,250 prisoners and
250 guns.

On the 28th August Major-General W. P. Braithwaite
left us on promotion to the command of a corps. Glad
as we all were that he should receive the recognition due
to his distinguished services, each one of us felt his
departure as a personal loss. He had always taken the
keenest interest in his artillery, and had been a constant
visitor at the battery positions, and we felt that we were
losing in him a leader who inspired confidence and could
understand our needs. Whatever the difficulty and
danger of the situation, he always preserved the same
cheery, courteous, and debonnaire demeanour, and he
never passed through a battery without leaving the
officers and men the happier for his visit. Less than this

98 WAR SERVICES

I cannot say, and I would gladly say more ; but it would
be unbecoming in me to speak of the soldierly qualities
of a superior officer, while he and I are still on the
active list, and I must content myself with saying that
Sir Walter Braithwaite will long be remembered with
admiration and affection by his old artillery.

He was succeeded in command of the Division by
Major-General Sir Robert Whigham.

My own artillery joined the Division again on the
8th September. Divisional Headquarters
Sept. 1918. were then at the Triangle Copse near
Gomiecourt, and the Division was enjoying
a short rest some distance in rear of the front line, which
ran roughly along the Canal du Nord. I had hoped
that our gunners would have a rest too after their fine
work with the 38th Division, but it was not to be, for
on the day of their arrival we received orders to be pre-
pared to attack and capture Havrincourt, the scene of our
former triumph in a few days. The brigades and D.A.C.
accordingly moved on the 9th to the area round Beugny,
and the work of reconnoitring positions for the coming
battle began at once. The positions selected lay chiefly
between Havrincourt Wood and the Canal, a little to
the left of those occupied in the battle of the 20th
November, 1917. The 3rd Divisional Artillery, together
with the 5th, 76th, 93rd, and 232nd brigades, were
temporarily added to my command, making a total of
twenty-four 18-pounder batteries and eight 4.5 howitzer
batteries to support the Division in its attack. Batteries
set to work forthwith to prepare their positions, and to
dump thereon 450 rounds per gun. While engaged in
this work Lieut. B. Alderton won the Military Cross
" for great gallantry at Havrincourt Wood on September

THE FINAL TRIUMPH 99

10th, 1918, in leading ammunition wagons which were
being heavily shelled to a place of safety. He dealt
with the situation with great pluck and skill, assisted
the five drivers who had been wounded, and un-
doubtedly saved further damage being done."

The following Divisional Order was issued on the 10th :

" The 62nd (West Riding) Division has been called
on to make a big effort to capture the high ground on
which the village of Havrincourt stands.

" The early capture of this important tactical feature
is regarded as essential to the success of larger operations
in the near future. Every day given to the enemy to
strengthen his positions there is a day gained for him.

" There are no tanks available for this attack at
Havrincourt, which will be carried out under intense
artillery barrage and bombardment.

" The 62nd Division has borne a brilliant share in the
operations on the Marne in July, and more recently in
nine days hard fighting round Mory and Vaulx. It
captured Havrincourt on the 20th November last year,
and a second capture of this strong position in the
Hindenburg line will add fresh lustre to the splendid
record of the Division.

" R. D. Whigham,

" Major-General."

All the batteries went into action during the night
of the nth September, and in the early hours of the
12th Divisional Headquarters moved to the canal bank
south-west of Hermies. At 5.25 a.m. the barrage
opened, and continued for about three hours, sweeping
north-east through the village of Havrincourt at the
rate of 100 yards in three minutes. The infantry pressed

ioo WAR SERVICES

on irresistibly behind the line of bursting shell, and once
more this almost impregnable position fell before the
unconquerable onslaught of our wonderful battalions.
The prisoners numbered 12 officers and over 600 other
ranks. We had one officer wounded in the Divisional
Artillery, Lieut. J. B. C. Hewitt. All through the 13th
there was fierce fighting round the village. The Boche
counter-attacked vigorously, and at one time got a
foothold in a corner of Havrincourt, but by the evening
he was again thrust out. The guns were hard at work all
day, and we learned from prisoners that the counter-
attacking troops lost heavily from our artillery fire.

On the 14th the infantry again attacked under a
barrage, and captured a trench about a thousand yards
east of Havrincourt, together with five officers and
204 other ranks. The 15th was spent in consolidating
the positions gained. The enemy's aeroplanes were very
active and brought down three of our observation
balloons in flames. That afternoon, when visiting the
headquarters of the 185th Infantry Brigade with the
G.O.C., I heard a curious story from Lord Hampden, the
Infantry Brigadier. During the attack of the previous
day some of his men entered a dug-out and found four
Boches playing cards ; they simply held up their hands
for a moment, remarked " Kamerad," and then went on
with their game ! It was rather an amusing proof that
the Huns were beginning to regard defeat and capture
as a thing naturally to be expected.

On the 1 6th September the infantry of the Division
withdrew for a rest, the guns remaining in the line, as
usual, under the 3rd Division. Lieut. S. A. Rissik was
wounded this day. No further advance was made for
some days, but preparations were set in hand for another

THE FINAL TRIUMPH 101

great attack to be begun by the 3rd Division, and carried
on afterwards by the 62nd.

On the 18th the enemy counter-attacked heavily.
For about two and a half hours he kept up a bombard-
ment of extraordinary intensity, and shells of all sizes,
about half of them gas, were falling in and around our
batteries ; over a hundred shell craters were afterwards
counted in B/312's position alone. All communication
lines were cut, but the batteries fired hard on their
S.O.S. lines, and the attack finally broke down. In this
action Lieuts. H. J. Dowden and C. F. M. Douet won
their Military Crosses :

" In response to an S.O.S. , Lieut. Dowden at once got
all the guns into action, and maintained a quick rate of
fire in spite of a heavy barrage. He fired one gun himself
until the detachment was collected, and then assisted to
bind up a wounded officer."

Lieut. Douet was " in charge of a forward section of
his battery when it was firing S.O.S. under heavy
bombardment, previous to a hostile counter attack.
One of his guns was put out of action and the detachment
incapacitated, the detachment of the other gun were
killed or wounded. He, with an N.C.O., worked the
gun until the order to cease fire was received."

On the 25th Capt. K. B. Nicholson, M.C., was wounded.

We moved our headquarters on the 26th to a dug-out
just north of Hermies, and at 5.20 a.m. on the 27th the
battle began. The 3rd Division advanced under an
artillery barrage and captured the strong defensive
positions of Flesquieres and Ribecourt. The artillery
command then passed to me, and the 62nd Division,
pushing on through the 3rd, pressed forward towards
Marcoing and captured a strong line of defence between

H

102 WAR SERVICES

that village and Flesquieres, taking prisoner 15 officers
and about 300 other ranks. The victory was complete
all along the line, Bourlon Wood having fallen to the
Canadians and Graincourt to the 17th Corps.

Next day we continued our advance, captured Mar-
coing, and secured the crossings of the St. Quentin Canal.
The 186th Infantry Brigade pushed on the same night
and secured an important line of trench east of the Canal.
We moved Divisional Headquarters to a dug-out on the
Graincourt road just north of Havrincourt. In these
two days' fighting our Division had captured about 60
officers and 1600 rank and file, together with 49 guns
and howitzers. On the 29th the action was continued,
and the Division took Masnieres. Our headquarters
shifted to a dug-out east of Flesquieres, the battery
positions being now for the most part in the area south
of Marcoing. We were much gratified at receiving the
following telegram to the Division from our former
Commander, Lieut. -General Sir W. P. Braithwaite :

" To General Whigham, 62nd Division. Just heard
of your great success at Ribecourt and Marcoing. It is
all splendid and just like 62. Will you allow me to
congratulate you and the Division and to say how very
proud I am to have once commanded so splendid a
Division."

The 3rd Division relieved our infantry during the
night of the 30th September and captured
Oct. 1918. Rumilly under an artillery barrage on the
1st October.

On the 2nd Major-General Sir R. Whigham visited
the D.A.C. and brigades with me. The former was in
the Ribecourt Valley, and the brigades were still in the
neighbourhood of Marcoing, where they were enjoying

THE FINAL TRIUMPH 103

a short rest before being pushed forward again. They
had lost a large number of horses during the few preced-
ing days from shell fire and bombs. I remember that
Lieut. G. A. Murray, the Signalling Officer of the 310th
Brigade, showed us round the positions ; he had only
been with us for a few weeks, and I was much taken by
his smiling, cheery manner, and his evident grasp of his
duties. It was therefore a great shock to me when I
heard next day that he had been killed while laying a
line across a bridge in Masnieres ; it was a great sorrow
to us all, and a serious loss to the brigade.

The Boche now made a peace offer in the vain hope of
staying our progress — the humblest thing that had yet
emanated from Berlin. There could, however, be no
parleying with a foe who was destitute of honour or
humanity, and the answer, on our part of the front, was a
fresh attack made on the 8th October, in which the
2nd and 3rd Divisions captured the high ground running
through Seranvillers, and pushed on through that
village towards Wambaix. Our guns took part in the
action, and Lieut. E. Smart won his Military Cross for the
following act of bravery : "On October 8th he was
observing officer ; when the infantry advanced over the
crest he was unable to observe the situation, and so went
forward and kept in close touch with the infantry, then
held up in a trench. He established an O.P. in the
trench and there observed the enemy counter attacking,
supported by three tanks. Our infantry were compelled
to retire, but Lieut. Smart remained at his post for some
considerable time, and sent back valuable information.
Throughout the whole of the period he was under constant
shell fire from the enemy barrage."

Cambrai was captured on the 9th by troops on our

104 WAR SERVICES

left, and on the ioth October we moved headquarters
to Masnieres. The position on that day was as follows :
on our front the Guards were in Bevilly, the 4th Corps
had captured Beauvois and Caudry, and the 5th Corps
was closing up on le Cateau. The 310th Brigade was
in action covering the Guards' Division, but the 312th
were resting at and around Estourmel, and came back
under my command. This day brought to a close the
Battle of Cambrai — St. Ouentin, 27th September to
ioth October, which in ten days of victorious fighting
broke through the last and strongest of the enemy's
fully prepared positions, opening the way to a war of
movement and an advance on the German main lines of
communication. Thirty-five Infantry, 3 Cavalry, and
2 American Divisions defeated 45 German Divisions,
taking 48,500 prisoners and 630 guns.

On the ioth I walked up to Estourmel with Elston,
my Staff Captain, to see the 312th Brigade, which was
then temporarily under Major Arnold Forster's com-
mand, vice Lieut. -Colonel Eden, who had gone home on a
course a short time previously. Lieut. -Colonel R. H.
Johnson, D.S.O., took over the command a few days
later. I remember that we were much struck by the
rapid change in the appearance of the country.
Masnieres, the village from which we started, was a mere
heap of ruins ; the next village on the road, Seranvillers,
had been badly knocked about, and then came Wambaix,
which was in not quite so bad a state. After that the
country presented an almost normal appearance, and
church spires and compact little villages were to be seen
dotted about the landscape, practically unharmed by the
brutal Boche, who was now retiring in such haste that
he had little time to carry out the wanton destruction

THE FINAL TRIUMPH 105

in which his soul delighted. In Estourmel most of
the houses were in pretty good condition, and even con-
tained furniture. The gardens were cultivated, and
Elston, as good and thorough a Staff Captain in the
lighter as he was in the sterner duties of warfare, was
able to collect a useful load of vegetables for the refresh-
ment of our mess. We moved our headquarters into
this village on the nth.

The 310th Brigade advanced on this day to St. Hilaire,
still in support of the Guards. The enemy was now
holding a strong position along the Selle river, and an
attack was arranged for the 20th October in which the
whole of the 3rd and 4th Armies were to be engaged.
The task of the 62nd Division was to force the passage
of the river to capture the town of Solesmes and the
village of St. Python, and then to establish itself on a
line about 3000 yards north-east of them. The 3rd
Divisional Artillery was put under my orders for the
battle, and these two brigades, together with the 310th
and 312th, began to take up their positions on the 16th,
south of the Cambrai — Solesmes road, and about 2000
yards to the west of the river. We established head-
quarters at Bevillers on the 18th. The barrage was
rather a complicated one to make out, not only because
it had to be accurately co-ordinated with the barrages
of the Guards Division and the 42nd Division on each
side of us, but also owing to the fact that large numbers
of French civilians were known to be still living in both
the town and the village, and we were naturally anxious
to put them into as little danger as possible. It was
finally decided not to direct any artillery on Solesmes
itself, but only on its suburbs on our side of the river, and
on the village of St. Python. It was assumed that the

to6 WAR SERVICES

civilians would take refuge in the cellars, and as no
high explosive shell were to be fired at the buildings,
but only shrapnel, the risk to them would not be
a serious one. These suburbs and St. Python were
at the time in " No Man's Land," and for a few
nights before the battle our infantry patrols used
actually to enter them under cover of darkness and
take coffee with the unfortunate but stout-hearted
inhabitants.

The attack was launched in bright moonlight at 2 a.m.
on the 20th October. The barrage was kept up for
23 minutes on the village and suburbs mentioned above,
while the infantry forced their way across the river ; it
then crept up on each side of Solesmes at the rate of
100 yards in four minutes. The infantry followed it up
closely and secured the ground on each side of the town,
while specially detailed battalions turned in to the right
and left and entered Solesmes, which they took possession
of after some hard fighting. While the town was being
" mopped up," the guns kept up a standing barrage
beyond it for over an hour. At 4.20 a.m. the artillery
ceased firing for a time, and some of the more distant
batteries moved up to closer range. At 7.40 a.m. the
creeping barrage began again, and moved north-east at
the same rate as before, followed by a fresh infantry
brigade up to a line about 500 yards short of Romeries.
The victory was complete, not only on our immediate
front, but along the whole army line. The 62nd
Division took prisoner 12 officers and 539 men, and also
three field guns, several trench mortars, and a large
number of machine guns ; its own casualties were under
three hundred. The infantry were loud in their praise of
the shooting of the guns, and I was proud to get the

THE FINAL TRIUMPH 107

following note from Brig.-General J. L. G. Burnett,
D.S.O., Commanding the 186th Infantry Brigade :

" As I know that you people like to know what the
infantry who attacked thought of the barrage : both the
left attacking battalion and the one which took the
railway station wish me to say that it was the most
accurate barrage which they have yet advanced under.
Would you please convey our thanks to the men behind
the guns who so largely contributed towards the success.

" Yours sincerely,

" J. G. Burnett."

The batteries advanced across the river as soon as
crossings could be prepared for them, a work which was
carried out by the sappers in a marvellously short time,
and I found them already in action north of Solesmes
when I visited that place next day, the 21st. Two or
three thousand civilians were still in the town, and though
a lot of shell were already beginning to fall there, they
were parading the streets in great numbers, and there
was a great doffing of hats and waving of handkerchiefs
as we passed through. I saw a party of prisoners being
marched along the main street ; women and children
were running alongside shaking their fists at them, and
crying out, " Sales Boches ! Sales Boches ! " with all
the strength of their lungs. When I thought of all their
sufferings at the hands of the barbarous savages, I could
hardly find it in my heart to blame them for this triumph
over their humbled enemy. The civilians would all have
gladly stayed where they were, but it was thought
necessary in their own interests to get the women and
children, and the old men, out of the place as long as the

108 WAR SERVICES

Boche guns remained within range. It was a very
pathetic sight to see them arriving in Bevilly that
afternoon. Groups of soldiers met the lorries as they
arrived at the buildings reserved for the refugees, and it
was pleasant to see the tenderness with which the men
lifted out the children— and sometimes the old grand-
mothers— and carried them across the sea of mud that
lay between the roadway and the house. It was painful
to think of the hell that these poor people had been
through, crouching in their cellars while our shell
crashed and screamed overhead, and later while our
infantry hunted out the Boche from house to house and
street to street. However, they looked happy, most of
them, in spite of their discomforts ; they were free at
last and out of danger, and had the prospect before them
of a speedy return to their own homes.

The 3rd Division took over our front during the night
of the 22nd and attacked at 3.20 a.m. the next day. Our
guns helped to support the attack, which resulted in
the capture of Romeries and Vertain. Continuing
their victorious progress on the 24th, the 3rd Division
captured Escarmain, and reached the railway line north
of Ruesnes.

So ended our share in the Battle of the Selle River,
which forced the enemy from the line of that river and
drove a big salient into his defences, and in which 26
Divisions defeated 31 German Divisions, with 21,000
prisoners and 450 guns.

A great many mines had been going up during our
advance along the railway lines, and the delay thus
caused in the bringing up of ammunition and supplies
was becoming very serious. It was decided therefore to
call a halt for a few days until the communications

THE FINAL TRIUMPH 109

could be made more secure. This decision made it
possible to give the artillery the rest which they so sorely
needed, and my brigades withdrew to Quievy on the
26th October while the D.A.C. remained at St.
Python, to which place they had gone after the
capture of Solesmes. We moved our headquarters
to the latter town on the 30th. On this day we
heard the cheering news of the conclusion of an
armistice with Turkey.

We were now warned that we were to take part in a
great attack on the 4th November, our immediate

objectives being the villages of Orsinval
Nov. 1918. and Frasnoy. The 40th, 42nd, and 76th

Brigades R.F.A. and the 84th Brigade
R.G.A. were put under my command for the battle in
addition to the 62nd Divisional Artillery. Positions
were selected near Ruesnes for the batteries, and across
the railway close up to the front infantry line for the
trench mortars. The 310th and 312th moved up to
Escarmain on the 2nd ; the village was heavily shelled
that night and B/312 lost 44 horses. Next day the
batteries occupied their positions, and Divisional
Headquarters went to Escarmain.

The barrage opened at 5.30 a.m. on the 4th November,
and our infantry made a victorious advance of 7000
yards, capturing their two villages and taking over 600
prisoners and a large number of guns. The Guards, on
our left, met with equal success, and north and south
along the whole far flung battle line the enemy was
completely defeated. Early in the battle we advanced
our headquarters into a ruined chateau in Ruesnes ; it
had been badly knocked about, and a great deal of
wanton destruction had been done to a large and

no WAR SERVICES

valuable library. In the afternoon the New Zealand
Division, on our right flank, captured the fortified town
of Le Quesnoy, together with its garrison of a thousand
men. Our casualties were not heavy, but two of the
Battery Sergeant-Majors were killed, and Lieut. J. A.
Brown was wounded (for the second time). Our
satisfaction in the result of the day's fighting was
increased by the news we received that night that an
armistice with Austria had come into effect at 3 p.m.

On the 5th we pushed on and extended our gains. It
was pouring with rain, and the mud and slush made
progress extraordinarily difficult. We moved our
headquarters to Frasnoy, where we were greeted with
the greatest enthusiasm by the 200 civilians who still
remained in the village — wild with joy at their deliver-
ance after four years' suffering at the hands of the hated
Boche.

On the 6th and 7th the advance was continued without
much opposition. The roads were in a shocking state,
and the forward movement was so rapid that it was a
matter of the greatest difficulty to comply with the
ammunition demands. The D.A.C. did wonders, but
no sooner was a dump of ammunition formed in one
place than the tide of battle rolled far beyond it, and
another one had to be started further on. Never during
the whole war were the men and horses of the brigades
and D.A.C. worked to a greater state of exhaustion than
in these closing days. Headquarters went to Le
Trechon on the 7th, the advanced infantry having on
that day reached a line about 5000 yards east of Obies.
D/310 came under heavy shell fire during one of its
advances, and Lieuts. W. P. Holt and K. A. Latter were
badly wounded. Lieut. R. G. Morgan gained the

THE FINAL TRIUMPH in

Military Cross " for conspicuous gallantry and persever-
ance on the 6th and 7th November at Le Trechon and
near Harguies. He kept in close touch with the attack-
ing infantry, advancing his guns in the face of intense
fire so as to afford them the utmost support. The
following day he carried out a similar task, advancing
his section on very bad tracks through heavy shell fire.
He made several reconnaissances throughout the day,
which enabled him to afford effectual support to the
infantry."

In Le Trechon I came across an authentic case of
Boche barbarity. One of our cavalry on patrol entered
the village on the 6th, and seeing four Germans preparing
to destroy a bridge fired on them, killing one. They
returned the fire and he fell wounded. The Germans
then fled, thinking that there were more of our men close
behind. The French inhabitants of the nearest house,
one of whom was my informant, came out and made the
wounded man as comfortable as they could. As he was
too badly hurt to be moved they laid a blanket over him
so that any passing Boche might think him dead. After
a short time the three Germans returned, seeing that no
British were yet in sight, and deliberately murdered
the wounded man with their bayonets. An officer of the
20th London Regiment told me that he had seen the
corpse, and that there were several bayonet wounds in
it in addition to the mark of the bullet.

On the 8th our infantry took the village of Neuf
Mesnil, but, what with the vile weather and a temporary
stiffening of the enemy's resistance, the day's advance
was only about three kilometres. We heard that the
German emissaries had crossed our lines to sue for an
armistice.

H2 WAR SERVICES

The gth was a beautiful sunny day. There was little
resistance to our advance, and the Guards entered
Maubeuge, while our infantry took possession of the
large suburb of Sous le Bois, and pushed through and
beyond it. Divisional Headquarters moved to Neuf
Mesnil.

On the 10th we remained where we were. The enemy
had retired about six miles east of Maubeuge, and a short
delay was necessary to get up ammunition and supplies
for a further forward movement. News came that the
Kaiser had abdicated, and that his ignoble son had
renounced his claim to the succession. A revolution in
Berlin was also reported, and the end seemed so close in
sight that it was scarcely a surprise when, at 9 a.m. on
the nth November, I received the wire, " Hostilities
cease at n a.m. to-day."

So ended the Battle of Maubeuge, which, lasting from
the 1st to the nth November, struck at and broke the
enemy's last important lateral communications, turned
his position on the Scheldt, and forced him to retreat
rapidly from Courtrai. This victory completed the
great strategical aim of the whole series of battles by
dividing the enemy's forces into two parts, one on each
side of the great natural barrier of the Ardennes. The
pursuit of the beaten enemy all along the Allied line was
only stopped by the Armistice. Twenty-six Divisions
defeated 32 German Divisions, taking 19,000 prisoners
and 450 guns.

The total casualties in the 62nd Divisional Artillery
since landing in France had been

10 officers and 160 other ranks killed.

71 officers and 714 other ranks wounded.

THE FINAL TRIUMPH 113

The following special order of the day was issued on
the nth :

TO ALL RANKS OF THE THIRD ARMY.

The operations of the last three months have
forced the enemy to sue for an armistice as a prelude
to peace.

Your share in the consummation of this achieve-
ment is one that fills me with pride and admiration.

Since August 21st you have won eighteen decisive
battles, you have driven the enemy back over sixty
miles of country and you have captured 67,000
prisoners and 800 guns.

That is your record, gained by your ceaseless
enterprise, your indomitable courage and your loyal
support to your leaders.

Eleven Divisions in the four Corps (Guards 2nd
3rd and 62nd, 5th 37th 42nd and New Zealand, 17th
21st and 38th) , have been continuously in action since
the beginning of the advance and have borne the
brunt of the operations. Other Divisions have
joined and left, each one adding fresh lustre to its
history.

To all ranks, to all Corps and formations, to all
administrative and transport units, I tender my
thanks. May your pride in your achievements be as
great as mine is in the recollection of having com-
manded the Army in which you served.

J. BYNG, General,

Commanding Third Army.

Chapter VII

THE LAST PHASE

On the 12th November we went into comfortable billets
in Sous le Bois and Neuf Mesnil, while preparations were
being made to march into Germany. The 62nd Division
was to form part of the 9th Corps, under our former
Commander, Lieut. -General Sir Walter Braithwaite,
the other divisions being the 1st and the 6th ; the trench
mortars were to be left behind, but were to join us
subsequently in Germany. While in Sous le Bois Lieut.
E. S. Lloyd, M.C., Signalling Officer of the 312th Brigade,
was taken ill with influenza, and to the great sorrow of us
all died after a few days' illness. On the 17th we had
a thanksgiving service for the Divisional Artillery,
conducted by the Rev. S. Garrett, our senior chaplain.
I may mention here that the Rev. T. A. Home, who came
out from England with the artillery, was invalided home
in December, 1917, and was succeeded by the Rev. H. O.
Perry. The latter was with us all through the big
German push, and was then transferred to another
appointment while we were fighting at the Marne in
July, 1918. He was succeeded in his turn by the Rev.
S. Garrett.

We marched on the 18th November, a wet, unpleasant
day, to Ferriere la Grande. The artillery marched for
the future in a separate column from the rest of the
division, our itinerary being as follows. I give as a rule
the name of the place where headquarters halted ; the

THE LAST PHASE 115

remainder of the artillery was billeted in the surrounding
area, generally within a mile or two of headquarters.

19th. Solre sur Sambre, our first entry into Belgian
territory.

20th. Berzee. On arrival here we were greeted by
the local band, which played our National Anthem over
and over again with remarkable persistency for about
two hours. It would be tedious to describe our reception
at each halting place throughout the march, but I quote
here, as typical of other greetings, the address presented
to the 312th Brigade on their arrival in this area ; it
was couched in English as follows :
" Dear Allied Friends,

" After more than four years of a terrible war without
example in the history of the world, the Belgians deprived
of their freedom and rights during all that time have the
immense joy of seeing again the sun of liberty shining
bright and joyful over their heads. To tell you what a
boundless feeling of happiness and gratitude we have
now in our hearts is impossible for us to do in some
words. We are like slaves whose fetters would fall down
all of a sudden, like birds kept for long years in a dull
cage and which unexpectedly could fly freely again in the
open air of a nice spring day. Our hearts sing merrily,
our souls are transported with joy and hope. On this
memorable day where you bring us freedom, we turn
away from the hard and unjust past to look forward with
hope to the future. But if we are so to say mad for joy,
our hearts are large enough to make room for another
feeling as sincere and powerful as our happiness — our
gratefulness to all our Allied friends. Yes, to you all
which have helped us to reconquer our liberty, to you all
which have given your blood for a destruction of a

n6 WAR SERVICES

system of oppression, violence and brutality which
threatened the world, we are immensely obliged. We
are full of admiration for the great exploits of your
armies ; their courage, their spirit of self-sacrifice, their
perseverance in the duty are for us external signs of the
inner forces which animate them ; passion for independ-
ence, justice and liberty. We are proud indeed to have
as friends and Allies men of such a noble character.

" In the name of the Civil Authorities of the village
of Thy-le-Chateau I am proud and glad to have the
privilege of greeting you heartily.

' Hurrah for the English people and their valiant
armies.

" Hurrah for our brave Allies. Hurrah."

24th. Gerpinnes.

25th. Ermetont. The 310th Brigade on this occasion
were billeted en masse in the Abbey of Maredsous, where
they were entertained most hospitably by the Bene-
dictine Monks. The Prior and eight of the monks had
only just got back from serving two years' imprisonment
with hard labour in Germany. This savage punishment
was inflicted on them for having given a few days' shelter
to a wounded British soldier.

27th. A long march through Dinant, where we
crossed the Meuse, to the Thynne area, where we had a
long and rather tedious halt. The headquarters billet
was in a most picturesque chateau situated in a deep
hollow surrounded by rugged hills, on the road from
Dinant to Lisangues. The owner was the widow of a
retired French General. She told me that when the
Germans were occupying her chateau, at the time of the
Dinant atrocities, they treated her and her husband, an
old man over eighty, with the greatest roughness.

THE LAST PHASE 117

Finally they told the old couple one day that if any
further act of hostility were committed by the surround-
ing villagers, they would both be shot. The next day
the old General fell dead of heart disease.

10th December. Area round Laignon. Headquarters
at the Chateau de Barcenal.
Dec. 1918. nth. Barvaux Condray.
1 2 th. Clavier.

13th. Ville. We billeted in the fine chateau, which
had been in the early days of the war the headquarters
of Prince Eitel and his staff. Monsieur La Masch, the
owner of the house, told me that his unwelcome guests
drank about a thousand bottles of his wine, for which
they offered him on their departure the generous pay-
ment of a franc a bottle. As most of the wine they
affected had cost from 15 to 20 francs a bottle he declined
their offer, and he was now entering the full value in his
claim against the Boche Government. The royal Eitel,
a true Boche, looted all the linen when he left, tablecloths,
napkins, sheets and towels ; he even carried off all
Madame's lace, most of it old and priceless.

14th. Chevron. Here the scenery was as magnificent
as the billets were mean and uncomfortable.

16. Basse Bodeux.

17th. We crossed the German frontier, and marched
through Malmedy to Weismes. It was decided that we
should hold our anniversary dinners on this auspicious
date. We halted here for a few days in rather un-
comfortable billets. The weather was very bad, and it
snowed continuously.

21st. Elsenborn Camp. This was a sort of German
" Salisbury Plain." The huts were however far superior
to those provided in an English practice camp ; they

n8 WAR SERVICES

were substantially built and well heated, and officers
and men found them almost luxurious after the cramped
village accommodation which they had been accustomed
to.

22nd. Mount] oie.

23rd. The area round Schleiden. Headquarters
marched straight through to Gemund, our final destina-
tion.

25th. The Divisional Artillery made their final march
in a snow blizzard and went into billets as follows :

14th Brigade R.H.A. (now attached to the Division),
Kal and Keldernich.

310th Brigade R.H.A. , Gemund and Malsbenden.

312th Brigade R.H.A., Gemund, with two batteries at
Nierfeld and Schleven.

D.A.C. Kal and Sottenich.

Trench Mortars (eventually), Urft.

The purpose of this work is to describe the war services
of the artillery, and I shall not therefore write about our
life in Germany. The ordinary military routine, under
what were practically peace conditions, affords little of
interest to a Chronicler, and it is sufficient to say that
life was agreeable enough, and that ski-ing, tobogganing,
and later on fishing broke the monotony of our routine
duties in a very pleasant manner. Demobilisation
dragged on slowly but surely, and on the 18th February
we heard that the Division was to be broken up, and to
be reformed as the Highland Division. Most of the
officers now began to drift away, but it was not till the
19th April that I said farewell to my command. My
Staff all left at about the same time.

The Divisional Artillery? remained with the Highland
Division, though greatly changed in personnel and with

THE LAST PHASE 119

an almost entirely new set of commanding officers.
Major Lockhart was, I believe, the only battery com-
mander who stayed on until the final breaking up. The
artillery left Germany in the middle of August, and
returned to England (Salisbury Plain) ; on the 5th
December the headquarters' office closed, and on that
date the Divisional Artillery may be said to have ceased
to exist.

That it may long exist, however, as a brotherhood of
officers and men, bound together by a thousand memories
of danger and privation borne in common, proud in the
consciousness of duty done, and strong to maintain in
peace the steadfast and loyal comradeship which knit
them together in war, is the sincere hope of the writer of
this little chronicle.

Appendix A

SUBSEQUENT SERVICES OF THE 311TH
BRIGADE

I should like to have been able to bring the records of
the 311th Brigade within the scope of this work, but
the difficulties have proved too great, and I must content
myself with giving a brief digest of its services after
leaving the 62nd Division, for which I am indebted to
the kindness of Lieut. -Colonel A. Gadie.

The brigade was first attached to the 34th Division,
and took part in the battle of Arras on East Monday,
1 917 ; after this it occupied positions in the Arras sector,
opposite Gavrelle and Oppy.

In May it marched to Ploeg Street Wood, and fought
in the battle of Messines, in support of the Anzacs. The
battery positions in this battle were in some cases within
850 yards of the Boche front line.

In June, 1917, the brigade enjoyed a rest at Bailleul,
and then returned to its old positions at Messines, near
Warneton.

In October, 1917, it pulled out and went to the Ypres
salient, where it took part in the strenuous fighting at
Passchendale.

December, 1917. St. Quentin sector.

February, 1918. In action at Jeancourt until the big
German offensive began. The brigade then retired
steadily to the Somme, taking up as many as five

APPENDIX A 121

separate positions in one day. At St. Christ's bridge
it held on to its positions for two days, and then only
retired on being outflanked by the enemy. The batteries
remained in action on this occasion, firing over open
sights, until the infantry had retired behind the guns.
Positions were finally taken up about 8 miles east of
Amiens.

May, 1918. To the Arras sector. When the final
great advance was in preparation, the brigade moved into
seven different positions in ten days, in order to cover the
withdrawal of the Canadians, who were being sent south.
It finished up by occupying positions on the top of the
Vimy ridge.

During the advance, which began in August, the
brigade was attached to the 8th Division and to the
Canadians.

When the armistice was concluded on the nth Novem-
ber, 1918, it was at the village of Le Havre, about three
miles east of Mons.

The following officers were awarded Military Crosses :

*Armitage, Lieut. H. G.
*Browne, Major W.
*Campbell, Major C. W.

Danby, Capt.
*Dawson, Capt. H. B.
*Fraser-Mackenzie, Major E. R. L.

Hannah, Major (also a D.S.O.)
*Hollingworth, Major A. (also a bar, and a Croix de
Guerre) .

Hunt, Lieut.

* Jameson, Major A. A. (also a bar), afterwards killed.
♦Knowles, Lieut. G. (w.)

I22 WAR SERVICES

Morgan, Capt.
Saberston, Lieut.
*Sampson, Lieut. H. T.

MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES.

*Gadie, Lieut. -Colonel A.
Beckett, Capt.
*Browne, Major W.
*Hollingworth, Major A.
*Armitage, Lieut. H. G.

* Originally in the 62nd Divisional Artillery.

Appendix B

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF OFFICERS WHO SERVED
WITH THE 62nd DIVISIONAL ARTILLERY.

(An asterisk denotes that the officer has been more than once wounded
while with the Division.)

Abrahams, F., Lieut., M.C.

Alderton, B., Lieut., M.C.

Aldrich, E. C, Capt.

Anderson, A. T., Brig. -Gen.,
C.M.G.

Anderson, R. A. T., Lieut.

Archer, H. de B., Capt., M.C.

Armitage, H. G., Lieut.
zwArnold-Forster, F. A., Major,

D.S.O.
wAshby, H. C, Lieut.

Aspinwall, R. H. S., Lieut.

Astley, N. T., Lieut.

Badham-Jackson, C. O., Lieut.
♦wBaillie-Reynolds, P. K., Lieut.

Baker, W., Capt.
z£/Ball, S. C, Lieut.

Bayley, A. F., Major

Bedwell, E. P., Lieut. -Col.

Belbin, H., Capt.

Bennion, C. F., Major
m/Bennett, A. G., Capt., M.C.

Beresford, G. W. Capt.
(R.A.M.C.)

Bigg, L. B., Major

Blow, A., Lieut.
u/Boden, J. B., Lieut., M.C

Bottomley, G. R., Capt.

Bowden, S. V., Capt.

Bradford, L. B., Major
*wBrown, J. A., Lieut.

Browne, W., Capt.
wBvrt, W., Lieut.

Cairns-Smith, A. F., Lieut.

Campbell, C. W., Major, M.C.

Casey, N. B. V. Major

Casey, S. N., Capt.

Clarson, C. L., Lieut. (R.E.) M.C

Clayton-Barker, A. G.

Cockayne, W. R., Major
wCockerell, A. E., Lieut.

Coleman, E. T., Lieut.

Corke, C. A., Lieut.
wCraven, G. A., Lieut.
wCrofton, M. R. H., Major, D.S.O.

Currer-Briggs, D. H., Major

Currie, J. M., Major
wDavis, E. W., Lieut.

Dawson, H. B., Lieut.

Dixon, W. T., Lieut

124

WAR SERVICES

Donovan, J., Lieut.

Douet, C. F. M., Lieut., M.C.

Dowden, H. J., Lieut., M.C.

Drabble, L., Capt.
^Draper, V. A. H., Lieut.

Eager, W. McG., Lieut.

Eden, A. G., Lieut. -Col.

Edmondson, J. E., Capt., T.D.
z^Edwards, A. J., Lieut.

Eeles, C. A., Major, D.S.O.

Ellis, G. A., Lieut., M.C.

Elston, A. J., Major, T.D.

Eveleigh, E. D., Major, M.C.

FitzGibbon, F., Major, D.S.O.

Fleming, G. R., Major

Fletcher, S. R. H., Lieut.

Foot, R. C, Major, M.C.
^Forrest, R., Lieut.

Fowler, A., Lieut.

Fowler, J. R., Lieut.

Fraser, John, Capt.

Fraser-Mackenzie, E. R. L.,
Major, M.C.

Furlong, P. C, Capt., M.C.

Gadie, A., Lieut.-Col., T.D.

Gadie, C. A., Lieut.
►J«Gallimore, H. B., Capt.
wGane, L. C, Lieut., M.C.

Garrett, S., The Rev.

Geddes, R., Lieut.

Giffen, J. H. P., Lieut.

Glover, A., Lieut. (R.E. Signals)
ze/GoLDSMiTH, H. G., Lieut.

Gow, J. L., Capt.

Gravett, G. M., Lieut.

Green, J. S., Lieut.
z^Green, W. J., Lieut.

Haigh, S., Lieut.

Hammond, E. B., Capt. (R.E.),M.C.

^Hardy, G., Lieut.
wHarker, J. C, Lieut.
►^Harris, W. E., Lieut.

Hartley, Capt. (R.A.M.C.)

Hatcher, H. G. B., Capt.

Hay, A. J., Lieut.

Haydock, T., Lieut.

Hempel, F. H., Lieut.

Hess, N., Lieut., M.C.
• z^Hewitt, J. B. C, Lieut.. M.M.

Hinchcliffe, H., Lieut.

Hirst, P. A., Lieut.
ifHoLBURN, R., Lieut.

Hollingworth, A., Lieut.
zwHolt, W. P. Lieut., M.C.

Horne, T. A., The Rev.

House, H., Lieut. (United States)

Howell, V. P., Lieut. (R.E.
Signals)
^Hudson, G. L. C, Lieut.

Humphreys, B. J., Lieut.

Illingworth, M., Lieut.
zwInnes, C. B., Lieut.

James, W. L., Lieut.
^Jameson, A. A., Lieut.
*ze>Jephson, E. W. F., Major, M.C.

Johnson, R. H., Lieut.-Col.,
D.S.O.
^Johnson, E. F., Capt.

Johnston, Lieut.-Col. (Horse
Master)

Jones, K. S., Lieut.

Joslin, G. A., Lieut.

Kensett, F., Lieut.

Kewley, T. C, Capt.

Kinsman, G. R. V., Lieut.-Col.,
D.S.O., Comg. 310th Bde.

Kirkconnel, W. H., Lieut., M.C.
z^Kitson, H. G., Lieut.

APPENDIX B

125

►J»Knaggs, V. St. G., Lieut.

Knowles, G., Lieut.

Lamb, Capt. (R.E. Signals)

Lane, L., Lieut.
wLasbrey, H. C, Capt.
wLatter, K. A., Lieut., M.C.
zwLawrie, H. C. O., Lieut.

Lawrence, J. H., Capt.

Lindsell, W. G., Major, D.S.O.,
O.B.E., M.C.
wLintern, E. E. C, Lieut., M.C.

Lister, F. H., Lieut.-Col., D.S.O.
^Lloyd, E. S., Lieut., M.C.

Lockhart, J. F. K., Major, D.S.O.

Long, V. H. S., Capt.

Lough, A. T., Lieut.-Col.
*>J<Lutyens, J. L. C, Lieut.

Lyn-Jones, R. F., Capt.
(R.A.M.C.)
*wMacIlroy, J. C, Capt.

Major, A. E., Lieut.

Marples, G., Capt.

Marriott, E. C, Lieut., M.M.

Martin, Capt. (A.V.C.)
►J^Massey-Beresford, J. C, Lieut.

Middleton, H. D., Capt.

Miles, J., Capt., M.C.

Millet, J., Interpreter

Mitchell, F., Lieut.-Col.
♦^Montgomery, C. V., Lieut.

Morgan, R. G., Lieut., M.C.

Mort, A., Lieut.

Mossop, G. N., Capt.

Moxham, H. E., Lieut.

Moxon, C. E., Lieut.

Moxon, T. C, Lieut.

Murray, A. C, Lieut., M.C.
►J<Murray, G. A., Lieut.
^Nelson, H. G., Lieut., M.C.

Nickols, R., Major

Nickols, N. F., Major
*z£/Nicholson, K. B., Major, MC.
wNowill, J. C. F., Lieut., M.C.

Owen, H. A., Lieut.
zwOwen, J., Lieut.

Parkinson, E., Lieut., M.C.

Perry, H. O., The Rev.
zpPickard, R. L., Lieut.

Powell, J. B., Capt., M.C.
wProctor, J. W., Lieut.

Pritchard, F. C, Lieut., M.C.
►£<Pullan, C. W., Lieut.
wPunchard, C, Capt.
^Puttock, E. W., Lieut.

Rew, J., Lieut.

Rice, R. G., Capt.

Richardson, Norman, Lieut.

Richardson, N., Lieut.
*z£>Rissik, S. A., Lieut.

Robinson, J. G., Major, M.C.

Robinson, G., Major

Rotheray, E., Major, M.C.

Rudkin, G. C. R., Lieut.

Runacres, W., Lieut.
wSabelli, H. A., Lieut.

Sampson, H. T., Lieut., M.C.

Schofield, H. O., Lieut., M.C.
wSeeman, F. H., Major
^Senior, A., Major, M.C.
^Senior, G. P., Major

Severne, A. de M., Lieut.

Sharp, H. G., Capt.
wSharpling, F. G., Lieut.
z£/Sheppard, E. J. C, Lieut.

Sherlock, D. J. C, Lieut.-Col.
D.S.O., Comg. 310th Bde.

Siddons, N. H., Major

Smart, E., Lieut., M.C.

126

WAR SERVICES

Smith, Harold, Capt., M.C.

Spence, J. H., Lieut.
^Stephens, H. E., Lieut.

Stroud, A. H., Capt. (A.V.C.)

Sturrock, G., Lieut.
wStuart, F. R., Lieut.

Stuttle, A. E., Lieut.
►^Sutherland, H. S., Lieut.

Swain, G. A., Major, M.C.

Tanner, G., Lieut.

Trench, A. S. C, Lieut. (R.E.,
Signals), M.C.
o/Tuthill, W. F., Major
*z£/Vanderpump, E. H., Lieut.

Walker, C. S., Capt.

Walker, R., Capt.

Webber, L. M., Major

White, O., Lieut.

zejWhitworth, J. N., Lieut.
* ^Willey, J., Major
^Williams, R. C, Major, D.S.O.
wWilliams, E. T., Lieut., M.C.
Williamson, R. E., Col.

(R.A.M.C), T.D.
Wills, H. A., Lieut.
iwWills, T. B., Lieut.
Wilson, A., Lieut.
Wilson, L., Lieut.
Wilson, N. G., Lieut.
*wWitcher, C. R., Lieut.
^/Woodcock, F. A., Lieut. -Col.,
D.S.O.
Woodward, D. S. H., Major
z£;Wooliscroft, W., Lieut.
Wrangle, B. G., Lieut.
Wright, P. A., Capt., M.C.

Appendix C

LIST OF OFFICERS AND MEN AWARDED DECORATIONS
OR MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES WHILE SERVING
IN THE 62ND DIVISIONAL ARTILLERY.

C.M.G.

Anderson, A. T.

. . Brig.-General

3. 6.18

D.S.O.

Lindsell, W. G.

. . Major

. .

1. 1. 18

Arnold-Forster, F.

A. . . Major

. .

1. 1. 18

Eeles, C. A.

. . Major

. •

3. 6.18

Woodcock, F. A.

Lieut. -

Colonel

3. 6.18

Lockhart, J. F. K.

. . Major

1. 1. 19

MILITARY CROSS.

Jephson, E. W. F.

. . Lieut.

. .

. .

. .

2. 4.17

(and

bar

on

21. n. 17)

Nicholson, K. B. N.

. . Lieut.

. .

• •

. .

13- 4-17

Nowill, J. C. F.

. . Lieut.

. .

• .

. .

26. 4.17

Robinson, J. G.

. . Capt.

. .

. .

. .

4. 9.17

Parkinson, E.

Lieut.

. .

• .

. .

15- 9-i7

Pritchard, F. C.

Lieut.

. .

. a

. .

8. 10. 17

Hess, N

. . Lieut.

• .

. .

• .

22. 11. 17

(and bar

on 1. 9. 18)

Boden, J. B.

. . Lieut.

. .

. .

. .

22. 11. 17

(and

bar

on

30. 11. 17)

Furlong, P. C.

Lieut.

. .

. •

. .

25. 11. 17

Williams, E. T.

. . Lieut.

. .

. .

. .

30. 11. 17

Gane, L.

Lieut.

. .

. .

. .

13. 12. 17

Foot, R. C.

Major

. .

. .

. .

1. 1. 18

128

WAR SERVICES

Military

Cross-

-continued.

Abrahams, F.

Lieut.

* • • • •

. 26. 3.18

Murray, A. C.

Lieut.

• ■ • • ■

. 26. 3.18

Holt, W. P.

Lieut.

• • • . •

• 27. 3.18

Senior, A

Capt.

• •

. 28. 3.18

Archer, H. de B.. .

Capt.

• i • • .

. 28. 3.18

Miles, J

Lieut.

• • * . •

. 28. 3.18

Ellis, G. A.

Lieut.

(and bar

. 29. 3.18
on 20.7.18)

Swain, G. A.

Major

. .

• 5- 4-i8

Powell, J. B.

Capt.

. .

. 3. 6.18

Schofield, H. 0.

Lieut.

• • . . •

. 16. 6.18

Smith, Harold

Lieut.

a • • ■ •

. 23. 6.18

House, W. H.

Lieut.

(U.S.A.) ..

. 24. 7.18

Lloyd, E. S.

Lieut.

> • • • •

. 27. 7.18

Bennett, A. G.

Lieut.

> ■ • • •

. 21. 8.18

Latter, K. A.

Lieut.

• ■ • • •

. 30. 8.18

Lintern, E. E. C.

Lieut.

• • . • .

• 3- 9-i8

Nelson, H. G.

Lieut.

• • ■ ■ •

• 5- 9-1*

Alderton, B.

Lieut.

• • ■ ■ •

10. 9.18

Dowden, H. J.

Lieut.

■ • • • ■

. 18. 9.18

Douet, C. F. M.

Lieut.

■ • * •

. 18. 9 18

Smart, E

Lieut.

• • • • •

8. 10. 18

Morgan, R. G.

Lieut.

• • • • •

7. 11. 18

Rotheray, E.

Major

3. 6.19

LEGION

OF HONOUR.

Fleming, G.

. .

Major

(Chevalier)

• 30. 5-17

Anderson, A. T.

Brig.-General (Officier).

. 30. 7.18

CROIX

DE

GUERRE (French).

Swain, G. A.

. .

Major

. . . .

• 30- 5-17

Elston, A. J.

Major

.

. 30. 7.18

APPENDIX C

129

Croix de

Guerre (French) — continued.

FitzGibbon, F.

. Major

. 30. 7.18

Currie, J. M.

Major

. 30. 7.18

Woodcock, F. A.

. Lieut. -Colonel . .

. 30. 7.18

Sherlock, D. J. C.

. Lieut.-Colonel . .

. 30. 7.18

Eden, A. G.

Lieut. -Colonel . .

. 30. 7.18

Lawrence, J. H.

Capt.

. 30. 7.18

Long, V. H. S.

. Capt.

. 30. 7.18

Anderson, R. A. T.

. Lieut.

. 30. 7.18

Anderson, A. T.

. Brig. -General

. 15. 12. 19

CROIX DE GUERRE (Belgian).
Archer, H. de B. . . Capt

BREVETS.

3- 1. 18

Anderson, A. T. Brig.-General

Brevet-Colonel

1.

1. 18

Sherlock, D. J. Lieut.-Colonel

Brevet-Lt.-Col.

3-

6.19

MILITARY MEDALS.

786049

Leaf

Gunner . .

. 6.

4.17

786012

Llfl.Ll 0 • • • • • •

Driver

. 6.

4.17

4317

Smart, G.

Driver

. 6.

4.17

14383

Cooper, J. S.

Gunner . .

. 6.

4.17

785652

Wheatly, G

Driver

■ 9-

4.17

775585

Clarke, F.

Corporal . .

22.

4.17

2334

White, A.

Corporal . .

. 26.

4.17

796450

Mather, W

Sergeant . .

26.

4.17

(and bar

an 2. 11. 18)

78616

Tweed, A

Bombardier

1.

5.17

786276

Cartwright, M

Driver

1.

5-1

Utley, F. A

Driver

19.

5.17

Harrison, C

Corporal . .

20.

5.17

Waide, E. H

Sergeant

12.

8.17

130

WAR SERVICES

Military Medals — continued.

409!5

Chamberlain, C.

. . Sergeant . .

.

. 12. 8.17

(and

bar

on 30.9.18)

Settle, W.

. . Corporal . .

• 25. 8.17

Eshelby, J.

Gunner . .

. 2. 9.17

Foster, E.

. . Gunner . .

. 2. 9.17

Rider, H.

. . Sergeant . .

. 4. 9.17

Charlesworth, G.

. . Gunner . .

• 4- 9-17

785747

Jow, G. R.

. . Bombardier

. 10. 9.17

(and

bar

on i5-9-I7)

797096

SCHOFIELD, H. H.

. . Corporal . .

. 15. 9.17

40813

Johnson, W. L.

. . Gunner . .

9. 10. 17

781506

Burton, E.

Corporal . .

9. 10. 17

99305

Parker, J.

. . Sergeant . .

. 10. 10. 17

26073

Wendrop, E.

. . Gunner . .

10. 10.17

(and

bar

on 21. 8. 18)

796216

Fisher, R.

Gunner . .

. 10. 10. 17

776671

Harrison, H.

. . Sergeant . .

. 21. 11. 17

775809

Preston, J.

Bombardier

. 21. 11. 17

786544

Clapton, G.

. . Gunner . .

. 22. 11. 17

786176

Nobbs, J.

. . Gunner . .

. 22. 11. 17

786216

Heaton, R.

. . Gunner . .

. 22. 11. 17

686672

Potts, J

. . Gunner . .

. 24. 11. 17

82908

Yates, J.

Sergeant . .

. 24. 11. 17

403491

Yates, C.

. . Pte. (R.A.M.C.) .

. 24. 11. 17

479756

Swtthenbank, H. S.

. . Corporal . .

. 25. 11. 17

479751

Clarke, F. W. H.

Corporal . .

. 25. 11. 17

526246

Page, W.

Sapper

. 25. 11. 17

534665

Stockwell, A. W.

. . Sapper . .

. 25. 11. 17

785528

Boden, G. F.

.. B.S.M. ..

. 25. 11. 17

786705

Kettlewell, J.

Sergeant . .

. 25. 11. 17

47998]

Butcher, C.

. . Sapper . .

. 25. 11. 17

(anc

I bai

• on 5.4.18)

APPENDIX C

131

Military Medals — continued.

90257

Fisher, H.

.

Sapper . .

. 25. 11. 17

54350

Standing, E. . .

.

Sapper

. 25. 11. 17

76689

Aspinall, C.

•

Bombardier

(and bar

. 26. 11. 17
on 21. 3. 18)

65565

Walker, H.

.

Gunner . .

. 26. 11. 17

86744

Black, J.

.

Sergeant . .

. 26. 11. 17

86087

Smith, J. A.

.

Corporal

. 26. 11. 17

758n

Othen, P.

.

Corporal . .

. 30. 11. 17

86070

Parkinson, T. . .

.

Driver

. 30. 11. 17

85656

Davis, H

.

Bombardier

. 30. 11. 17

86267

Wilthew, L.

.

Shoeing Smith .

. 30. 11. 17

85248

Hebblethwaite, J.

.

Sergeant . .

. 30. 11. 17

85507

Haslam, W.

.

Gunner . .

. 30. 11. 17

86597

Brears, B.

.

Bombardier

. 30. 11. 17

14394

French, F.

.

Gunner . .

. 30. 11. 17

H39°

Slater, B.

.

Driver

. 30. 11. 17

86714

Worsnop, C.

.

Corporal . .

. 30. 11. 17

96765

Bawn, A. S.

.

Bombardier

8. 12. 17

95432

Scott, E.

.

Gunner . .

8. 12. 17

78621

Firth, H

•

Sergeant . .

(and bar

. 12. 12. 17
on 20.7.18)

86i43

Emmett, H.

. .

Bombardier

. 12. 12. 17

05408

Williams, T. R.

. .

Driver

. 22. 1. 18

42374

Higdon, C. E.

> .

Corporal . .

. 22. 1. 18

75647

Phillips, F.

,

Driver

5. 2.18

38966

Maguire, W. J.

.

Driver

. 5. 2.18

8i555

Spencer, W.

, .

Gunner . .

7. 2.18

81130

Beswick, C.

. .

Gunner . .

7. 2.18

55022

Salmon, J. P.

B.S.M., M.M. .
(I

. 12. 3.18
5ar to M.M.)

68968

Bain, W

. .

Driver

. 12. 3.18

75421

Bentley, J. A.

. .

Sergeant . .

. 21. 3.18

132

WAR SERVICES

Military

Medals — continued.

7759°9

Chapman, A.

. Corporal . .

. 21.

77(421

Kirk, J. . .

. Bombardier

. . 21.

776440

Slater, F.

. Gunner . .

. . 21.

775873

Simpson, A.

. Driver

. . 21.

776659

Woods, P.

. Gunner . .

. . 21.

745725

Green, T. J.

. Driver

. 22.

170024

Hales, A. E.

. Gunner . .

.. 26.

259377

Williams, M. A.

Corporal . .

.. 27.

(and bar

on 12 .

482131

Snowden, W. H.

Sapper

.. 27.

775175

Fenly, M.

. Gunner . .

.. 27.

775526

Pawsey, 0.

Bombardier

. 27.

776686

McCart, J.

. Bombardier

. 27.

Simpson, J.

Bombardier

.. 27.

785292

Buchanan, H. .

Sergeant . .

. . 28.

786257

Sweeney, A.

. Sergeant . .

. 4.

62366

Read, G. W. .

Sapper . .

■• 5-

786247

Whitaker, S.

Driver

• 5-

786788

Simpson, T.

. Sergeant . .

• 5-

786581

Orme, J. . .

. Bombardier

• 5-

786041

Jeffrey, H.

Corporal . .

• 5-

786570

HOLLYHEAD, G. .

. Gunner . .

• 5-

947529

Glass, A.

Gunner . .

• 5.

403103

Robinson, H.

. Pte. (R.A.M.C.)

• 5-

786145

Penny, A.

Sergeant . .

• 5-

786191

Pollard, F.

Corporal . .

• 5-

786289

Stobart, G.

. Bombardier

• 5-

785989

Bland, C.

. Corporal . .

• 5-

786051

McGowan, H.

Sergeant . .

• 5-

482124

Max field, T.

. Corporal . .

• 5

-17<>979

Blair, S

Corporal . .

• 5-

77(418

James, T. E.

. Corporal . .

• 5-

APPENDIX C

133

Military Medals — continued.

1495*9

Gerrard, F. B. . .

. Bombardier

. 6.

4.18

03191

MOLLETT, T. A.

. Sergt. (A.V.C.) .

. 11.

4.18

775729

FlNCHAM, G.

. Bombardier

. 12.

4.18

7955*9

Simmons, F. W. . .

. Gunner . .

. 18.

4.18

795469

Wheater, T. W.

. Driver

. 18.

4.18

796906

Morley, T. H. . .

. Driver

. 18.

4.18

7954§7

Hattersley, J. W.

. Bombardier

. 18.

4.18

786097

Stradling, C. H.

. Sergeant . .

. 25.

5.18

(and bar

on 30.9.18)

776462

Green, M.

. Bombardier

• 25.

5.18

776428

Middleton, W. G.

. Gunner . .

• 25.

5.18

776401

Elmy, G. E.

. Bombardier

. 25.

5.18

776389

Clements, L. D. J.

. Sergeant . .

. 10.

6.18

781506

Burton, E. B.

. Corpl, D.C.M.

. 16.

6.18

786598

Firth, E.

. . Corporal . .

.. 17.

6.18

70957

Stevenson, W. . .

. Sergeant . .

.. 23.

6.18

117895

Roberts, J. R.

Bombardier

.. 23.

6.18

68531

Brackfield, E. . .

. . Corporal . .

. . 20.

7.18

Turner, G.

. . B.S.M. . .

. . 20.

7.18

776435

Pearce, H. E.

. . Bombardier

. . 21.

7.18

796698

Taylor, E.

Driver

. . 21.

7.18

814159

Mellor, T. H. ..

. . Gunner . .

. . 21.

7.18

786071

Barr, G.

. . Sergeant . .

.. 21.

7.18

73925

Hedges, J. W.

. . B.S.M. . .

. . 21.

7.18

786321

Howard, G.

. . Driver

. . 21.

7.18

776403

Stapley, A. H.

. . Sergeant . .

. . 24.

7.18

216999

Willis, W.

. . Driver

. . 29.

7.18

50531

Eggett, G. H.

. . Sergeant . .

.. 23.

8.18

178962

Gething, W. H. . .

. . Gunner . .

.. 26.

8.18

940904

Brown, J. D.

. . B.S.M. ..

.. 27.

8.18

479989

Wilson, H.

Sapper . .

.. 27.

8.18

786188

Wakefield, E. . .

. . Sergeant . .

. . 28.

8.18

134

WAR SERVICES

Military Medals — continued.

960755

Darling, G.

. Sergeant . .

1. 9.18

686809

Mitchell, D. J.

. Corporal . .

4. 9.18

686749

Blakeley, J.

Bombardier

4. 9.18

98085

Head, W.

. Gunner . .

• 5- 9-*&

775441

Marsden, W.

. Driver

. 10. 9.18

142257

GlSBY, S. . .

Sapper

. 12. 9.18

811015

Fellowes, A.

. Gunner . .

. 15. 9.18

03221

Daniells, J. W.

. Sergt. (A.V.C.) .

. 30. 9.18

775071

Howard, A.

Corporal . .

. 30. 9.18

Dawe, W. H. ..

. Signaller . .

2. 10. 18

Crerar, E.

Signaller . .

2. 10. 18

795531

Lacey, W.

Sergeant . .

6. 10. 18

795655

Firth, A.

. Bombardier

6. 10. 18

55862

Hill, F. . .

Signaller . .

8. 10. 18

795460

Mallinson, G. . .

. Sergeant . .

. 17. 10. 18

796893

Martin, W. J. . .

Driver

. 17. 10. 18

775228

Naylor, C. B.

. Bombardier

. 20.10.18

775859

Milnes, N.

Signaller . .

. 20.10.18

154325

Thornton, F. W.

. Signaller . .

. 20.10.18

775939

Arundel, J. W.. .

. Corporal . .

4. 11. 18

776494

Mornan, J.

. Bombardier

4. 11. 18

775751

Smith, H

. Corporal . .

4. 11. 18

776523

Malham, A.

Bombardier

4. 11. 18

482341

Squires, A.

. Corporal . .

5. 11. 18

247749

Courtney, H. . .

. . Signaller . .

. 6. 11. 18

775451

Doolan, J.

. Signaller . .

7. 11. 18

482343

Holmes, F. H. W.

. . Sapper . .

7. 11. 18

57500

Heard, J.

Bombardier

7. 11. 18

795579

Marks, H.

. . Driver

. 8. 11. 18

670

Morgan, D. E.

Driver

8. 11. 18

785515

Ames, 0.

. . Driver

8. 11. 18

785624

Brothwell, T. . .

. . Sergeant . .

. 8. 11. 18

APPENDIX C

135

D.C.M.

788499

Jeffrey, W.

. . Corporal . .

• 30.

n. 17

Whittaker, F. . .

. . Sergeant . .

. n.

1. 18

775056

Moody, J.

Sergeant . .

• 3-

6.18

786077

PULLAN, P. E.

MERITORIOUS !

.. B.Q.M.S.
SERVICE MEDAL.

• 3-

6.18

Shaw

. . Bombr. (T.M.) .

•

1919

MEDAILLE

MILITAIRE.

786097

Stradling, C. H.

. . Sergeant . .

. 30.

4.18

CROIX DE GUERRE (Belgian).

775017

Wharton, H.

. . Sergeant . .

• 3-

1. 18

776421

Kirk, J

Gunner . .

• 3-

1. 18

786260

Edmonson, C. . .

Sergeant . .

• 3-

1. 18

786044

Kitchin, F.

.. B.S.M. ..

• 3.

1. 18

780086

Hargreaves, W.

Corporal . .

• 3-

1. 18

797010

Tyler, J. A.

. . Gunner . .

. 3.

1. 18

INDIAN DISTINGUIS]

HED SERVICE MEDAL.

21316

Bashir Ahmed . .

. . Driver

. 22.

4.18

27652

Abdul Quayum . .

Driver

. 22.

4.18

33810

Nathoo Khan . .

MENTIONED I

. . Driver
N DESPATCHES.

. 22.

4.18

Anderson, A. T.

. . Brig. -General, C.M.G.

Anderson, R. A. T.

. . Lieut.

Bedwell, E. P.

. . Lieut. -Colonel

Bowden, S. V.

Capt.

Champion

.. B.S.M.

786544

Clapton, G.
Eeles, C. A.
Elston, A. J.
Fraser, J.

. . Gunner, M.M.
. . Major, D.S.O.
. . Major
. . Capt.

136

WAR SERVICES
Mentioned in Despatches — continued.

6998

781825

Howes, T. W.
Kevvley, T. C.
Lindsell, W. G.

LOCKHART, J. F. K

Long, V. H. S.

NlCKOLS, R.

Robinson, G.
Rutter, C.
Seeman, F. H.
Senior, A.
Sherlock, D. J. C.
Willey, J.
Woodcock, F. A.

B.S.M., D.C.M.

Capt.

Major, D.S.O., M.C.

Major, D.S.O.

Capt.

Major

Major

Sergeant

Major

Capt., M.C.

Lieut. -Colonel, D.S.O.

Major

Lieut. -Colonel, D.S.O.

MENTIONED IN

Clapton, G.
Tristram, F.
Laird, W.
Salt, L. K.
Edmonson, C.
Wells, H. T.
Pickering, A. S
Clayton, A. C.
Hebblethwaite,
Cameron, A.
Parker, R.
Everest, H.
Webster, G.
Gibson, J. W.
Levett, J. A.
Brackfield
Knaggs, V. S. G

DIVISIONAL ORDERS FOR
GALLANTRY.

Gunner . .
Gunner . .
Bombardier
Sergeant . .
Sergeant . .
Bombardier
Bombardier
Sergeant . .
J. . . Sergeant . .
Bombardier
Bombardier
Gunner .
Gunner .
Gunner .
Sergeant .
Gunner .
Lieut.

ACTS OF

3.17
3.17

5.17

7.17

7.17
7.17
7.17

17.

17-
6.

22.

22.

22.

22.

22. 7.17

23. 7-1?
23. 7^7

7.17

7.17
7.17
7.17
7.17
10. 10. 17
10. 10. 17

23-

23-

23.

23.

28.

INDEX

Ablainzeville, gas attack on 77
Abrahams, Lieut. F. 65
Acbiet le Grand 8, 20, 93
Achiet le Petit 4, 7, 62, 92
Albert 93

Alderton, Lieut. B. 98
Ammunition supply 5, 24, 42,

88
Anderson, Lieut. R. A. T. 20,

28,63
Anneux 45

Archer, Capt. H. de B. 67, 76
Arleux 56, 58
Armistice 112
Arnold-Forster, Maj. F. A. 6,

io, 55, 104
Arras, Battle of 10
Artillery, French 85
Ashby, Lieut. H. C. 10
Auchonvillers 2
Australians n, 65
Austria, armistice no
Aveluy wood 93
Ayette 62

Bailleul 57, 58
Baillie-Reynolds, Lieut. P. K.

10, 82
Ball, Lieut. S. C. 13
Bapaume 7

„ Battle of 97

Barastre 43
Barvaux 117
Basse-Bodeux 117
Batteries, A/3 10 26, 32, 34,

58, 71. 86
Batteries, B/310 10, 32, 56,

58> 94. 95
Batteries, C/3 10 29, 32, 45,

65, 71, 86
Batteries, D/310 26, 31, 58,

76, 86, 94, 95. no
Batteries, A/312 7, 32, 51, 62
B/312 8, 9, 34, 56,

62, 82, 86, 101, 109
Batteries, C/3 12 7, 10, 29, 32,

70, 82
Batteries, D/312 7, 9, 16, 51,

56, 71, 96
Bayley, Maj . A. F. 37
Beaumont Hamel 2, 3, 65
Beaurains 62
Bedwell, Lt.-Col. E. P. 16
Bennett, Lieut. A. G. 27, 92
Benson, Brig. -Gen. 22
Berthelot, Gen. 89
Berzee 115
Bethoncourt 53
Bevillers 105
Bigg, Maj. L. B. 6
Bihucourt 7, 93
Bligny 86

138 INDEX

Boden, Lieut. J. B. 50, 52, 71 Casualties, number of n, 17,

Bois d'Hollande 4 29, 87, 112

Bois du petit champs 83 Charlesworth, Gunner 32

Bois de Reims 82 Chalons 86

Bombing planes 76, 84 Chateau la Haie 69, 72

Bottomley, Capt. G. R. 77 Chaumuzy 86

Bourlon Wood 47,49.51.53. Cherisy 33-35

102 Chevron 117

Bowden, Capt. S. V. 58 Clarson, Lieut. C. L. 23

Bradford, Brig.-Gen. 35, 52 Clavier, 117

Braithwaite, Lt.-Gen. Sir W. P. Cockerell, Lieut. A. E. 73

24, 30, 63, 68, 77, 88, 97, 102, Colincamps 2, 65

114 Couin 86

Brigade, 310th 1, 2, 7, 8, 16, Courtagnon 82, 86

2i, 43, 46, 56, 62, 72, 85, 86, Craven, Lieut. G. A. 34, 35

93, 104, 105, 118 Crofton, Maj. M. R. H. 57, 70

Brigade, 311th 2, 3, 7, 8, 120, Croisilles 7, 8

121 Cuitron 83

Brigade, 312th 1, 7, 16, 21, Currie, Maj. J. M. 31, 94

27, 43, 46, 56, 70, 72, 78, 85,

86, 104, 118 D.A.C. 5, 12, 24, 52, 57, 77,
Brown, Lieut. J. A. 25, no 78, 82, 84, 86, 102, no, 118

Bucquoy 4, 7, 62, 64, 92 Davis, Lieut. E. W. 42

Bullecourt 14, 15, 27, 32 Dinant 116

Burnett, Brig.-Gen. J. G. 61, Douet, Lieut. C. F. M. 101

107 Dowden, Lieut. H. J. 101

Burt, Lieut. W. 82 Draper, Lieut. V. A. H. 83
Burton, Corpl. E. 79

Bus les Artois 2, 86 Ecoust 8, 9, n, 13, 27, 30, 32,
Byng, Gen. Sir Julian 25, 113 37, 62

Eden, Lt.-Col. A. G. 43, 97,
Cambrai 103 104

Battle of 45 Edmondson, Capt. J. E. 24

Cambrai-St. Quentin, Battle of Edwards, Lieut. A. J. 16

104 Eeles, Maj. C. A. 41, 76, 78

Canal du Nord 98 Eitel, Prince 117

Casey, Maj. N. B. V. 32 Ellis, Lieut. G. A. 68, 82

Casualty, First 2 Elsenborn 117

First Officer 3 Elston, Maj. A. J. 104, 105

INDEX

139

Engelbelmer 2, 57
Engelsart 5
Ermetont 116
Ervillers 7, 9, 14
Escarmain 108, 109
Espilly 85
Essarts 64, 70, 92
Establishment of horses 78
Estourmel 104

Farbus 59
Ferme d'Ecueil 85
Ferriere la Grande 114
Fitzgibbon, Maj. F. 55, 63
Fleming, Maj. G. 19
Flesquieres 46, 47, 101
Foncquevillers 64-66, 73
Foot, Brig.-Gen. R. M. 42
„ Maj.R. C. 6,26,31,55,

76, 93
Forrest, Lieut. R. 13
Fraser, Capt. J. 24
Frasnoy 109, no
Frontier, Crossing the 117
Furlong, Lieut. P. C. 50

Gadie, Lt.-Col. A. 8, 120

Gallimore, Capt. H. B. 16, 17

Gane, Lieut. L. C. 53, 67

Garrett, Rev. S. 114

Gas attack on 312th 70

Gavrelle 56

Geddes, Brig.-Gen. J. G. 81

Gemund 118

Germaine 82

Gerpinnes 116

Ginchy 94, 95

Godley, Sir A. 81,91

Goldsmith, Lieut. H. G. 61

Gomiecourt 7

Gonnelieu 51

Gough, Sir H. de la P. 13

Gouzancourt 51

Graincourt 45-47

Grandcourt 3

Green, Lieut. W. J. 96

Haig, F.M. Sir Douglas 72, 75
Hammond, Lieut. E. B. 23
Hampden, Brig.-Gen. Viscount

100
Hannescamps 62, 64
Haplincourt 40, 52
Hardy, Lieut. G. 16, 17
Harker, Lieut. J. C. 96
Harris, Lieut. W. E. 34, 36
Hautvillers 83, 86
Havrincourt 40, 45-47, 53, 98,

99
Hebuterne 64, 65
Henu 72
Hermies 101
Hess, Lieut. N. 50, 96
Hewitt, Lieut. J. B. C. 100
Hindenburg line 9, 10, 13, 15,

27,41
Holburn, Lieut. R. 4
Holt, Lieut. W. P. 66, no
Hore-Ruthven, Lt.-Col. The

Hon. A. 30, 33
Home, Rev. T. A. 114
Horse Show 29
House, Lieut. W. H. 84
Howes, B. S. M. 30
Hubert Road 41
Hudson, Capt. G. L. C. 6, 10

Indian drivers 57, 77

140

INDEX

Infantry appreciation 60,106,

107
Innes, Lieut. C. B. 52

Jephson, Maj. E. W. F. 4, 8,

16, 50, 65, 73
Johnson, Capt. E. F. 53

Lt.-Col. R. H. 104

Kal 118
Keldernich 118
Kewley, Capt. T. C. 24
Kinsman, Lt.-Col. G. R. V. 14
Kitson, Lieut. G. H. 15

Lagnicourt 11, 21, 25, 27
Laignon 117
Lasbrey, Capt. H. C. 3
Latter, Lieut. K. A. 94, 95,

no
Lawrie, Lieut. H. C. O. 25
Lea, Lt.-Col. H. 42
Le Quesnoy no
Le Trechon no, in
Lindsell, Maj. W. G. 28, 45,

54. 55
Lintern, Lieut. E. E. C. 50, 96

Lister, Lt.-Col. F. H. 16, 23
Lloyd, Lieut. E. S. 85, 114

Lockhart, Maj. J. F. K. 57,

119
Logeast Wood 7, 62

Lough, Lt.-Col. A. T. 24, 43

Lutyens, Lieut. C. T. 13

Macllroy, Lieut. J. 4, 73
Mailly-mailly 2, 6
Malsbenden 118
Marcoing 101, 102

Maredsous 116
Marfaux 82, 83, 86
Marquion 47
Martinsart 5
Masnieres 102, 104
Massey-Beresford, Lieut. J. C.

93
Maubeuge, Battle of 112
Medals, Presentation of 77
Mesnil 93, 96
Metz 52

Middleton, Capt. H. D. 76
Miles, Lieut. J. 67
Mines 9
Miraumont 3-6
Mitchell, Lt.-Col. F. 12
Monchy au Bois 63
Montgomery, Lieut. C. V. 15,

67
Monument Camp 20
Morchies 25, 26, 93
Morgan, Lieut. R. G. no, in
Morval 94
Mory 9
Mountjoie 118
Murray, Lieut. A. C. 65
Murray, Lieut. G. A. 103

Nappe 85

Nelson, Lieut. H. G. 95, 96
Neuf Mesnil in, 114
Neuville 43

Newman, Lt.-Col. C. R. 33
Newman, Lieut. C. 30
New Zealanders 65, no
Nicholson, Maj. K. B. 10, 101
Nierfeld 118

Noreuil n, 21, 22, 25, 30, 32,
62

INDEX

141

Nowill, Lieut. J. C. F. 13,71

Obies no

Oppy 56, 58

Orders, special 34, 45, 48, 68,

71, 74, 88, 89, 91, 99, 113
Orsinval 109
Orville 79
Owen, Lieut. J. 75

Parkinson, Lieut. E. 34, 35
Pas en Artois 73, 86
Patis d'Ecueil 82
Peel, Brig.-Gen. E. J. R. 20
Pelican Troupe 80
Perry, Rev. H. O. 114
Pickard, Lieut. R. L. 25
Powell, Capt. J. B. 28
Pritchard, Lieut. F. C. 39
Proctor, Lieut. J. W. 13
Puisieux 4, 64, 66
Pullan, Lieut. C. W. 7
Punchard, Lieut. C. 15
Puttock, Lieut. E. W. 71

Queant 20

Queen, Message from H.M. the

73
Quievy 109

Raids 33, 34, 35, 60, 76
R.A.R.E. Company 22, 23
Reims 81
Rest house 6
Ribecourt 101
Rider, Sergt. 32
Riencourt 20, 21, 27, 36
Rissik, Lieut. S. A. 71, 100
Robinson, Maj. J. G. 6, 32

Roclincourt 56, 59
Romeries 106
Rossignol Wood 69
Ruesnes 109
Rumilly 102

Sabelli, Lieut. H. A. 4
Sailly au Bois 73
Sailly Saillisel 95
St. Hilaire 105
St. Imoges 82
St. Leger n
St. Python 105, 106
Schleiden 118
Schleven 118
Schofield, Lieut. H. O. 79
Seeman, Capt. F. H. 6
Selle River, Battle of 108
Senior, Maj. A. 67, 71
„ Maj.G.P. 13
Seranvillers 103, 104
Serrigny, General 84
Settle, Corpl. W. 33
Sharpling, Lieut. F. G. 71
Sheppard, Lieut. E. J. C. 73
Sherlock, Lt.-Col. D. J. C. 14,

54- 85. 97
Smart, Lieut. E. 103

Smith, Capt. H. 79
Solesmes 105-107
Solre sur Sambre 115
S.O.S. Test calls 22
Sottenich 118
Souastre 67
Sous le Bois 112, 114
Special orders 34, 45, 48, 68,

71, 74, 88, 89, 91, 99, 113
Spies, German 64
Stephens, Lieut. H. E. 83

142

INDEX

Stuart, Lieut. F. R. 9°
Stuttle, Lieut. A. E. 71
Sutherland, Lieut. H. 40
Swain, Maj. G. A. 4,6,19,29,
70

Tanks, Practice against 59
Thackeray, Lt.-Col. 61
Thy le Chateau 116
Tortille river 93
Tours sur Marne 81
Trench, Capt. A. S. C. 63
Trench Mortar Batteries 10,

21, 25, 27, 28, 33-35- 4°. 58>

77, 109, 114, 118
Turkey, Armistice 109
Tuthill, Maj. W. F. 73

Urft 118

Vanderpump, Lieut. E. H.
73

25,

R.

Vertain 108
Villers au Flos 43
Vimy Ridge 10, 56
Ville 117

Wambaix 103, 104
Wancourt 40
Weismes 117
Wendrop, Gunner E. 93
Whigham, Maj. -Gen. Sir

98, 99, 102
Whitley, Brig.-Gen. E. N.
Whitworth, Lieut. J. M.
Wilier val 59
Willey, Maj. J. 10, 69
Williams, Lieut. E. T. 52

„ Maj. R. C. 4
Wills, Lieut. T. B. 24
Witcher, Lieut. C. R. 58, 69
Woodcock, Lt.-Col. F. A. 11,

24,78
Wooliscroft, Lieut. W. 34, 35

54

82

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W. Heffer and Sons Ltd.

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