Historical records of the Buffs, East Kent Regiment (3rd Foot)

by R. S. H. Moody

III. 6th and 7th Battalions: Albert, etc.

The enemy was holding the line of the Ancre river, using Albert as a bridgehead. The stream here is only about fourteen feet wide, but it averages six feet in depth and has nasty marshy edges and approaches. Thus it is an obstacle requiring the carrying up of bridging material and so forth. The Germans were nearly all on the eastern bank of the river, but the cellars and ruins of the town of Albert, even on the western side, proved to be full of hidden parties cleverly availing themselves of what were in truth considerable facilities for defence. The rôle of the 18th Division was to cover the flank of the main attack of the 4th Army by taking Albert and the high ground beyond it. The 12th Division was on the right of the 18th and had the task of capturing the village of Meaulte, a little to the south, as well as other points. The 35th Brigade, however, was bound for Meaulte and was in immediate touch with the 18th Division.

The scheme of the 18th Division was as follows: the 55th Brigade was to capture Albert itself, and the 54th to operate south of that town and between it and Meaulte. Commencing at zero and for sixty minutes, all the houses of Albert which were to the east of the river were to be submitted to a heavy bombardment while the East Surrey Regiment worked through those to the west of the stream, “mopping up” the small hostile parties which were reported by our scouts to be there. Then our artillery was to lift and devote its attention to certain strong points on the east edge of Albert while the Surrey men crossed the Ancre and continued their work through the place. Finally, the guns were to lift again and allow the battalion to complete its job. Then the 7th Buffs were to come through the town, advance east-north-east till it got touch with the 54th Brigade, which would be attacking between Albert and Meaulte, and then to halt with its left flank on the floods. As it was quite impossible to reckon at what hour the East Surrey would have finished their work, the Buffs must make their advance without the help of a barrage.

As a matter of fact, the battalion debouched from the town at 10 a.m. and touch was got with the 54th Brigade, but then, heavy machine-gun fire being met with, progress astride the Albert-Pozieres road became impossible. All the country just outside Albert is dominated by Usna, Tara and Shamrock hills, which high ground was the especial objective of the 18th Division. When the Buffs emerged from the streets a false report was received that Tara Hill was occupied by the 54th Brigade, and our artillery got orders not to fire upon it. As a matter of fact, however, the enemy was still there and all their machine guns, which of course were not interfered with, were free to play on our battalion as it came on. This state of things caused a halt a little short of the Blue Line, for which the Buffs were bound, and the brigadier came to the conclusion that it would be impossible to push on further without the assistance of tanks and until it was dark. However, at 2.30 a.m. on the 23rd the Blue Line was made good. The Buffs had suffered about two hundred casualties, which were immediately made good by men originally left out of action.

Meanwhile the 35th Brigade, with which for a day or two the 6th Battalion served, was in position at 1.30 a.m. and endured heavy gas shelling during the night. 4.45 a.m. was the zero hour, and then the 6th moved forward, C Company being on the left and D on the right front, A left support and D right. The battalion moved behind the 7th Norfolk Regiment, to which unit had been assigned the first objective. The 9th Essex was on the right of the Buffs. The whole operation this day was completely successful, all objectives being taken and consolidated. The second of these being secured by the 6th Buffs at 8.35 a.m., though unfortunately the Essex were held up by heavy machine-gun fire. There is no doubt that the work was done most creditably; eleven machine guns and fourteen prisoners fell to the share of the battalion we are interested in, and its own casualties were light: 2nd Lieuts. Gibbs and Green were wounded, five men killed, twenty-nine wounded, thirty missing and one gassed. Furthermore, when the second objective was gained the remainder of the day was quiet. The following day, the 23rd of the month, revealed the fact, however, that the situation on the right of the Buffs required much clearing up, so much so that tanks were sent up to investigate matters, and preparations were made for forming a defensive flank which necessitated some small rearrangement of the troops. It is interesting to note that during this day an aeroplane, in response to a call, managed to drop three thousand rounds of small-arm ammunition by means of a parachute.

On the 23rd the 18th Division had been busy. As has been seen, the original objective of the 7th Buffs had been gained at 2.30 a.m., but this move was chiefly made to enable other troops to get possession of the hills which up till then had dominated the British front. This was done, in spite of tremendous difficulties, by the 53rd Brigade with the 7th Queen’s from the 55th, and it was greatly aided by seven tanks which had to approach from Meaulte along the east bank of the Ancre. The work was supported by a brigade of the 38th Division on the left of the 18th, which brigade had to get through Albert and then more to the north and pass the floods so close that many men were wading nearly breast high. Everything now going well, the 55th Brigade, less the Queen’s, was temporarily withdrawn to divisional reserve west of Albert. The first stage of the attack had been a marked success, and all went so well during the time the 55th Brigade was away that when it returned to the front line in relief of the 53rd, which occurred on the night of the 24th/25th, it bore orders to push on the advance relentlessly. This relief was very different from those to which everyone was so well accustomed. It was a mobile business. No taking over of dug-outs and trenches, but the 7th Buffs simply walked into the place of the West Kent on the right of the brigade near the Becourt Wood and took up the running, so to speak.

ALBERT

As regards the 12th Division, the 6th Buffs, on the 24th, returned to their own 37th Brigade, which was ordered to carry on the advance, relieving the 35th, which had been ahead so far. At 1 a.m. the brigade, under an artillery barrage, attacked the enemy’s position in front. At 1.30 the Buffs reported that all was going well but that they were facing heavy machine-gun fire, and they asked for the assistance of tanks to clear away certain pockets of the enemy which were giving trouble. Two hours later the Queen’s reported that their right was held up, so, at 7 o’clock, three whippet tanks were placed at the disposal of the brigadier. At 1.30 these tanks, with the West Kent, attacked, but they were back again in an hour, having completely failed; one tank had its guns jammed, and one was badly damaged, for on crossing the ridge they had met with heavy machine-gun and trench-mortar fire. The enemy was still a force in being and knew exactly where to make a resolute stand. A consultation now took place as to the best mode of carrying on the advance on the morrow, and it was determined to leave the German strong place, which was giving so much trouble, and to pass on either side of it, so at 9.30 p.m. orders were issued for the task of the 25th: the Buffs were to advance on the right, and Queen’s on the left, with the West Kent in support. At midnight the Corps cavalry was placed at the disposal of the 37th Brigade. It was now found that the enemy had withdrawn, and it was pretty evident that he had gone back some considerable distance. On the 25th, therefore, the 36th and 37th Brigades, with the 35th in reserve, advanced, in order to maintain their touch with the retiring Germans. The move commenced in the middle of the night and was quite successful, so that by 5.15 the Buffs were holding a new line, once more in contact with the enemy, and with patrols pushed out in front. 2nd Lieuts. Barr and H. J. Hine, with eight other ranks, were wounded during the morning, Hine unhappily dying of his wounds. There was no doubt about the enemy’s temporary stand—indeed, the British line was shelled all day; and at five in the evening the 55th Brigade came up from the reserve and went through as an advance guard, in conjunction with similar movements in the flanks. These troops drove the Germans back about two thousand yards and consolidated a new line, while the Buffs and Queen’s, with the West Kent in reserve, held the old one. The tactics of the 25th were renewed on the 26th. On this day the 36th Brigade took up the advance guard duties, passed through the 35th and carried on the drive for about 3,500 yards. The 37th Brigade remained in position. On the 27th the fighting part of the programme was transferred to the 37th Brigade. Its units came through those of the 36th and at 4.45 a.m. attacked the enemy’s position north of the Somme, captured the village of Carnoy and assisted the 58th Division to take Maricourt. It also took a valuable position north of Hardecourt. During these operations the brigade had been assisted by the cavalry, and after so prolonged a period of trench warfare it was strange to be working with so mobile an arm. The West Kents reporting themselves at 7.32 as being on their objective, and the Buffs doing the same at 7.45, the horsemen were sent forward to occupy the Maurepas ridge far ahead. At 9.20 a counter-attack appeared to be developing south of Bernafay Wood, and the 35th Brigade was ordered to send a battalion up to La Briqueterie to be at the disposal of the brigadier of the 37th, and at 10 o’clock a company of the Machine Gun Corps was added to his force. At 10.45 the Buffs found themselves being seriously enfiladed by machine-gun fire, so much so that their position became untenable and the battalion withdrew in good and correct order some two hundred yards. About this same time the cavalry, after reporting that Faviere Wood, between Hardecourt and Maricourt, was still occupied, had to be recalled as the ground was impossible to work over, owing to wire, shell holes and trenches. At 2 p.m. the brigade was directed to advance its line sufficiently to join up with the 18th Division east of Bernafay Wood, and later on a message came informing the brigadier that the 18th Division intended to attack at seven that evening, its objective being the east edge of Trones Wood, and directing that the battalions of his brigade should keep touch. The casualties to the 6th Battalion the Buffs on the 27th August were Captain L. P. Figgis and ten men killed, 2nd Lieuts. Findley, Hobbs, C. Hunt and H. M. Hunt and forty others wounded; twelve men were missing.

As regards the 7th Battalion, it too was moving forward at 2.30 a.m. On the 25th August the 54th and 55th Brigades, the latter on the left, pushed on without much opposition, the Buffs being on the right and East Surreys on the left of their own brigade. All went well until the neighbourhood of Montauban was reached, and here the opposition began to strengthen somewhat, the enemy showing that he thoroughly understood the scientific use of machine guns in rear-guard action. Lieut. G. B. Mason, commanding A Company, was wounded crossing the crest north of Bottom Wood and progress became slow owing to very wet weather, but by nightfall the battalion had reached a line south of the western edge of Mametz Wood and were in touch with the troops on both flanks. The day’s fighting had resulted in an advance of about a mile and a half. As soon as it was light on the 26th B Company, under Captain A. J. Whitmarsh, was sent forward to continue the advance, but now the enemy’s resistance became more stubborn. The ground east of Montauban was very suitable for machine-gun rear guards, and each little position occupied by these had to be located before they could be first outflanked and then rushed in front. Captain Whitmarsh, with A Company on his left flank, which again kept pace with the East Surreys, took his own men on with great steadiness and skill, and at about 3.15 p.m. assaulted the village of Montauban, taking about sixty prisoners and killing the remainder of the garrison. He was greatly aided by flanking fire brought to bear by machine guns to the north of him. Whitmarsh was awarded the D.S.O. for his work on this day. At 6 p.m. the 7th Queen’s was ordered up as vanguard to the division, the Buffs remaining east of Montauban, with Bernafay Wood full of Germans just in front of them. The next day B Company went back to Caterpillar Valley, where C already was, and these companies were joined by the other two on the 28th, the whole brigade being on that day withdrawn into divisional reserve.

The fighting described above was quite a revelation to most of the young officers and men of both the Buffs’ battalions. Long experience of trench work, only varied by occasional raids or a battle, in the course of which one side or the other gained two or three hundred yards, made it difficult for most men to understand what open warfare really meant, and probably many wondered why such stress is laid in England on the necessity of field days, with their extensive movements. Yet now they saw cavalry at work, infantry skirmishing and artillery galloping into action as if on Salisbury Plain, and behold it was very good.

On the morning of the 29th August the 54th Brigade advanced with very little opposition to the western edge of Combles, but was unable to get further because the enemy still held the ridge where the remains of Morval stood, and thus threatened the flank of any troops which tried to move further eastward.

Meanwhile the 6th Battalion, with the 6th West Kent on their left, had got as far as Maurepas, for that part of the enemy which was opposite them had withdrawn some distance during the night of the 27th/28th, so that in the morning these two battalions had pushed on, in artillery formation, and got into touch again at Maurepas. Here it was found that there was no sign of troops further to the south: the 58th Division, which should have been there, had apparently failed to come up. This meant, of course, that the Buffs had to form a defensive flank in this direction, but after a while the patrols managed to discover some Australians. During this day B Company completely outflanked a similar German unit, taking from it seventy-nine prisoners. Six of our men were wounded.

The several divisions and brigades relieved each other with great frequency during the grand allied advance we are describing. Of course, strong bodies of troops must always be behind those actually in touch with the enemy, and it was so arranged that everybody should have a turn at work nearest the foe and then be passed by some of those in rear, and so take on the business of reserve troops. On the 30th of August, therefore, the 12th Division was relieved by the 47th, the 24th London Regiment taking the place of the 6th Buffs, who retired to Faviere Wood and remained there till the 4th September. On that date the 12th Division relieved the 18th in the left divisional sector of the 3rd Corps front, the Buffs going into trenches east of Fregicourt.

The 18th Division was now faced with the difficulty of passing the high ground about Morval. On the 30th an attempt to advance on Rancourt in conjunction with the 47th was met with very heavy machine-gun fire, particularly from Priez Farm, which was strongly held by the enemy. It was therefore found that for the present the pursuing tactics lately in use must be abandoned and a regular attack undertaken, for here was an obstinate stand. So on this date the 7th Buffs, with the rest of the 55th Brigade, were hurried up by bus to the neighbourhood of Montauban and Bernafay Wood, the Buffs being south of the latter place. It was decided that the 47th Division was to capture Rancourt and to the east of it as far as St. Pierre Vaast Wood. The 38th Division was to take Morval and Sailly Saillisel, while the 18th Division was to assail the north-west corner of St Pierre Vaast Wood and form line facing north-east across the Sailly Saillisel-Rancourt road, the idea being to cut off the enemy holding the Fregicourt-Morval position. The 55th Brigade represented its division in this partition of work, and to the East Surreys was assigned the assault in the corner of the wood; the Buffs were to follow them, form to the left and attack northwards, and the Queen’s to mop up the area north-east of Combles. Smoke barriers were arranged to cover the movements of the 55th Brigade. The day for the fight was at first fixed for the 31st August, but the position appeared so strong and the enemy’s artillery so much more in evidence than had recently been the case, that it was resolved to first make exhaustive preparation with artillery and postpone infantry action for twenty-four hours. The operations necessitated for the Buffs a night march from their bivouac south of Montauban. Little time was given for the issue of orders or reconnaissance, and the manœuvre contemplated was, if not intricate, at any rate somewhat out of the ordinary and the map issued the only guide to the ground. For these reasons, and in case of any accident, Colonel Ransome left B Company, under Captain Whitmarsh, in the assembly area of the East Surrey Regiment. The remainder were to advance in platoon columns for as long as possible in order to facilitate changes of direction. The move to the assembly area was a slow and tedious business; it was intensely dark, roads were scarce, landmarks few and country pitted with shell holes and strewn with wire; however, it was accomplished and in time. The next morning the attack developed according to plan. All accounts of it agree in according the highest possible praise to the 8th East Surrey Regiment, which unit bore the brunt of an action which was a complete success, all objectives being carried with comparatively few casualties. The principal opposition met with came from Priez Farm, which from the very start caused much trouble to the East Surreys, which was, however, not sufficient to stay that regiment’s triumphant progress. The leading companies of the Buffs were also temporarily held by machine guns which had allowed the Surrey men to pass them; these guns necessitated a somewhat wider detour for those that followed than had been anticipated. However, with considerable management and able leadership, especially perhaps on the part of Captain Stronge, of D Company, the difficult advance and still more difficult wheel, during which seven thousand yards was covered, was accomplished. When near Rancourt C and D Companies wheeled to the north and occupied the high ground east-north-east of Fregicourt. The enemy was completely surprised and demoralized and began to stream away northward from Fregicourt, many being killed by C and D Companies while trying to escape to Sailly Saillisel along the valley. The difficult task of seizing the high ground in rear of the enemy holding Fregicourt was successfully carried out and the division had done its part in the Second Battle of Bapaume.

The Buffs’ casualties on this occasion were only two; Captain Stronge, Lieut. Wellman and 2nd Lieut. Lawrence were awarded the M.C. for their gallant conduct on this occasion.

A very large number of prisoners were taken. Receipts, for instance, were given to the Buffs for fourteen officers and nearly eight hundred men, though a good many of these were not actually captured by the battalion. Captain Whitmarsh, of B Company, was after the action ordered to send forward two platoons as patrols into St Pierre Vaast Wood and towards Sailly Saillisel, and as the enemy appeared to be greatly demoralised the 7th West Kent was ordered to attack the village at 7 p.m., which move necessitated a further advance on the Buffs’ part to conform. During the operations between the 22nd August and the 1st September the 7th Buffs had 3 officers killed and 14 wounded; 26 men killed, 84 wounded and 55 missing.

On the 2nd the 53rd Brigade passed through to continue the pursuit. This day was a proud if a sad one for the 7th Battalion, for the commanding officer, Lt.-Colonel Ransome, D.S.O., M.C., who had so often led it to victory or stood in the gap during a necessary retreat, was removed on promotion to command the 170th Infantry Brigade of the 57th Division.[32] Next day Lt.-Colonel Curtis, D.S.O., joined on appointment to the command. On the 4th September the battalion marched to Trones Wood, the division, as has been seen, being relieved by the 12th, and it remained there training till the 16th of the month.

Two days after this relief of divisions the 6th Buffs marched into Riverside Wood on the Tordille stream. While it had been in rear the other troops had, of course, driven the enemy considerably to the eastward, for the 53rd Brigade had taken up the pursuit after the turning of the Morval position. Therefore, when on the 7th the 37th Brigade advanced through the others to take up the duties of advance guard to its division, it became its duty to attack a line of trenches which ran from Heudicourt to Guyencourt, some eight miles east of St Pierre Vaast Wood. The 6th Buffs moved into its assembly position at 4.30 a.m., having C Company on the left, D on the right, A left support and B right support. The battalion had the West Kent on its left with the Queen’s in support, and the objectives were: first, the east edge of Guyencourt; second, the high ground beyond; and third, the eastern outskirt of Epehy and the railway east of Peiziere. Both the Buffs and the West Kent had with them a section of Field Artillery, another of a Trench Mortar Battery and two sections of the Machine Gun Corps. The zero hour was 8 a.m., when an artillery barrage commenced. The enemy’s machine guns were very active from the start, and his artillery fire, though somewhat feeble at first, gradually increased in density. At 9.30 the Buffs had to report that they were held up by numerous machine guns opposite their centre and they asked for artillery aid, which was at once arranged for, with the result that at 10.10 a.m. the battalion was in possession of Guyencourt. The second objective, the hill line east of the village, was taken at 11.15 and consolidation commenced. At 5.50 p.m. orders came to endeavour to make good Epehy and Peiziere. That evening, patrols were pushing on, and at 8 o’clock both the leading battalions reported that they were moving forward; but a little later orders came that the 47th Division would continue the attack the next morning. The day had been a successful one, but the Buffs had Captain Tuke, 2nd Lieut. Thompson and twenty men wounded, four killed and six missing.

The 47th Division experienced some trouble the next day in gaining their objective, a line of trenches two thousand yards west of the Hindenburg Line, as the nearer the Germans were driven to their vaunted series of defences the stronger their opposition became, but at last the advance, which had been temporarily held up, was successfully renewed and a line of trenches gained and consolidated. The 12th Division again relieved the 47th on the evening of the 8th, but the Buffs were told off as divisional reserve and retired to St Pierre Vaast Wood, where they remained till the 17th, training, resting and playing football.

On the 16th of September the 7th Battalion embussed for Moislains and marched east to Longavesnes in a very heavy rainstorm, and next day the officers reconnoitred the approaches to Ronssoy from the high ground near Saulcourt; meanwhile the 6th Battalion was moving into assembly positions three hundred yards west of Guyencourt, cheered before going into action again by the news that Lt.-Colonel Smeltzer had a bar to his D.S.O., and that C.S.M. Coffin and Sgt. Ashby were each to wear the D.C.M. The enemy’s opposition was now getting quite determined, and on the 18th it was arranged to assail him in force. For this purpose the 21st Division on the left, the 18th in the centre and the 12th on the right prepared to carry on the great eastward push, which had now gained some five-and-twenty miles from Albert. Put very briefly, the 35th and 36th Brigades captured the villages of Peiziere and Epehy, but owing to strong machine-gun resistance were unable to make further headway; so the 37th Brigade went forward at 3.30 p.m. to clear up the situation. The objectives were then gained and everything settled by 6 p.m.

Also, a couple of miles or so to the south-east, the 7th Battalion co-operated in an attack by the 55th Brigade on Ronssoy and the exploitation of the enemy’s position beyond the village. To amplify the stories of these attacks a little: in both cases it was noticed that the confidence of our soldiers was supreme; after years of fighting what had seemed more or less a drawn battle, victory was now daily crowning our arms, and success was looked upon as a certainty. At 6.30 the 37th Brigade, being then in reserve just north of Guyencourt, was informed that the Norfolk Regiment on its front was being hardly pressed. At 8.25 it was reported that our troops were seen retiring from Epehy pursued by a tank which appeared to be an English one, manned by a German crew. At 8.40 the brigadier of the 36th Brigade reported that his troops had gained their first objective, but had then been heavily enfiladed from the north and by three tanks, one of them being English; so the West Kent were sent off in this direction. There is no doubt that the German defence of Epehy was a resolute one and of a different type to what the British had now become accustomed to, and the Queen’s battalion, which of course belonged to the 37th (or reserve) Brigade, was ordered to keep touch with the troops to the south and, if necessary, to move round south of Epehy to do so; also a divisional order came to the brigade soon after 9 o’clock that the Buffs were to be kept in hand. By 10 o’clock the West Kent were in Peiziere, with their forward company east of the village, though the enemy’s machine guns and trench mortars were still holding out in the place. The Queen’s, with a battery, were in action two hundred yards west of Epehy. It was now decided, as things were not progressing too well, to attack formally at 3.50 p.m. with the Buffs and Queen’s, so the barrage started and these two battalions went forward, but both were held up by machine guns before the objectives were gained. Captain S. S. Beall, Lieut. R. W. Durdle, 2nd Lieut. A. Mount and eleven men were killed, twenty-two wounded and two missing.

A considerable amount of dogged attack and equally dogged defence on the part of the enemy formed the story of the 6th Battalion up to the end of September. On the 19th the Buffs and Queen’s attacked the Germans in what were called Mule Trench, Bird Trench and Braeton Post. The Buffs had been given the two latter as objective. Very considerable machine-gun opposition was met with, but a line a hundred yards short of the objective was consolidated at 1.30 p.m. At 7.45 the “S.O.S.” signal went up from part of the 18th Division’s front and there was heavy artillery fire on our forward line, but no infantry action followed. Lieut. Brooke was wounded, one man killed, twenty-seven wounded and seven missing. The shelling continued next day, one projectile falling close to battalion headquarters and wounding two servants and three runners. At midnight on the 21st/22nd, under an artillery barrage, the West Kent, with D Company of the Buffs, made another assault which was at first unsuccessful—the opposition being most resolute. A second attempt, at 3 p.m., had better fortune and a new position was consolidated. Buffs’ casualties: seven killed and twelve wounded.

Then the 37th Brigade was relieved by the 35th and the Buffs went into the sunken road south of Epehy, where a comparatively quiet time was enjoyed till the 29th, the only time that action was called for being that on the 27th of the month the Queen’s, who were temporarily attached to the 36th Brigade, carried out another attack in conjunction with troops to the north and south of them, and this battalion was supported by C Company The Buffs in the eastern outskirts of Epehy. Sgt. Alexander got a bar to his M.M. about this time, and C.S.M. Ashby and Pte. Bellchambers that medal itself.

Meanwhile the 7th Battalion had been far from idle. In conjunction with the rest of the 55th Brigade it attacked Ronssoy on the 18th. The work was at first extremely difficult owing to adverse weather conditions, which, however, fortunately improved during the day. The attack was led by the 54th Brigade, who were to capture and pass the village of Ronssoy. This force was to be followed by the 55th, which brigade was to emerge from the eastern edge and form up on the Green Line at 100 minutes after zero. This arrangement had the effect of so limiting the time available to the leading brigade for properly clearing or “mopping up” the village as it passed through, that it was necessary to warn the troops following to move to their places by a route south of the houses and to avoid street fighting as far as possible. The Germans, it was quite evident, expected an attack on this day and the assembly position was heavily bombarded, gas shells being so extensively used that respirators had to be worn for a considerable time. The East Surreys led its brigade, which was intended to leap-frog or pass through the 54th. The morning was wet and misty, which interfered sadly with visual signalling and caused some difficulty in keeping the proper direction. It was soon found that the ground was by no means clear, and machine guns and snipers gave a great deal of trouble. However, the men of Surrey pushed on and, emerging from the houses at the stipulated time, endeavoured to reach the Red Line, but were held up by machine guns from Lempire and Z Copse. Even the other battalions which followed met with much trouble in Ronssoy or on its borders, so many little parties remaining in hiding. The general state of this place at 9 a.m. is exemplified by the fact that the brigadier, walking alone along the road, captured thirty-four Germans himself out of various dug-outs. General Wood threw lumps of chalk and old boots into these places and took the surrender of the men who came tumbling out. These men were fully armed, but dazed and cowed. By 11 a.m. the three battalions were concentrated in the objective trenches and sunken road, but Lempire and the Copses X, Y and Z still held out. Prisoners informed our people that the Red Line was only held by two German companies, so arrangements were made to advance upon it at 5 p.m. under a creeping barrage. On the right the assaulting troops reached this line in parts, but on the left progress was very slow, as machine guns in Lempire enfiladed the advance and the copses gave much trouble; moreover, it was clear that fresh German troops had come up during the afternoon. At 7 o’clock the attempt had to be abandoned for the time and, to prevent complete isolation, those parties which had succeeded in getting ahead were ordered back again. The struggle to get on proved a very protracted one. It is true that the 53rd Brigade captured Lempire post on the 19th, but it was not till 7 a.m. on the 20th that the Queen’s got X Copse and the Buffs Y and Z. The progress of the East Surreys was stayed by opposition from Duncan’s post. At 10 a.m. the enemy commenced a very heavy bombardment on our position, causing our advanced posts to be temporarily withdrawn to avoid casualties. The 53rd and 54th Brigades attacked the Red Line at 5.40 a.m. on the 21st, and when these were well up the 55th was brought back into divisional reserve in the village of Ronssoy. The two first-named found very bitter resistance and, indeed, only captured parts of their objectives. However, on the night of the 22nd, the 55th Brigade, marching up again to relieve the front line, managed to place the Buffs from Cat’s post to Duncan’s post and the Queen’s to the north of that, the Surreys being in brigade reserve. The 23rd of the month was a quiet day and devoted to reconnaissance, and at 6.45 on the 24th the Buffs tried Guillemont Farm, but failed owing to very strong opposition. During that night the brigade was relieved by American troops and retired to Combles. It was afterwards found that this action at Ronssoy had stayed a contemplated counter-attack on a large scale which had been planned by the enemy, the 231st German Division having been diverted to Ronssoy and rushed up to that post of danger by motor buses.

It was on the 28th that the 7th Battalion came up again into the area of active operations, moving on that day by bus to Guyencourt and bivouacking in a sunken road two thousand yards east of the village, ready for an attack next morning, their comrades of the 6th being close by just outside Epehy. On this Michaelmas Day the 12th Division, with an American one on the right and the 47th English on the left, attacked the Hindenburg defences in the neighbourhood of Vendhuille, while the rôle of the 7th Buffs was to assist in protecting the left flank of the Americans and to “mop up” Vendhuille village later on.

COMBLES AND MORVAL

RONSSOY

The 37th Brigade passed through the 35th with the 6th Buffs on the right and West Kent on the left. The 9th Battalion of the Essex were attached to the Buffs and the 6th Queen’s to the 6th West Kent. The objective of the brigade was a line just west of the St Quentin Canal. The zero hour was 5 a.m. when, after a short artillery barrage, the forward move was commenced, the Buffs having A Company on the left, B on the right, C left support and D right support. Owing to the very strong resistance of the enemy, mostly by means of machine guns, the progress was rendered very slow, but at 8.45 the Buffs reported all going well, and at 9 o’clock the Americans were on all objectives. As the canal was approached the opposition became stronger, and this was particularly so at the Quarries, which fell to the lot of the Buffs to take. Indeed, at 10.30 the battalion had to report its left company as being held up here. However, delay was the worst misfortune that befell; gradual advance was made and the objectives were at length reached about 5 p.m. and consolidated after really stubborn fighting, which lasted all day without a break. The Buffs were, however, the only unit of the division that had attained the Blue Line. They captured 120 prisoners and about 40 machine guns, but lost Lieut. H. Thompson killed, Lieut. Dunkerley wounded, 2nd Lieut. Beard missing and about 40 killed or wounded.

The following day the battalion, working forward, reached the canal bank, having picked up four prisoners on the way, captured a 77-mm. gun and bombed many of the enemy’s dug-outs.

The 12th Division was then relieved by the 18th, the 6th Battalion marching back to Guyencourt, while the 7th, who had marched off at 8.20 a.m. on the 29th and, moving south of Epehy, crossed the Epehy-Ronssoy road into St Patrick’s Valley, where it halted about 10.10 a.m. Orders were then received to push on into the Macquincourt Valley to a position of deployment, but trouble came now and the further movements of the newly arrived battalion of the Buffs and others were altered more than once by varying circumstances, the end of the day coming without any marked episode, and evening finding the men in Sart Farm and the neighbouring trenches. The Buffs had moved forward according to order, following the 7th Queen’s, and these were held up by enemy’s machine guns near Guillemont Farm. Further movements not being possible, orders came to occupy an area of trenches in the neighbourhood. An abortive attempt at attack on the Knoll was commenced soon after one o’clock, but the situation was found to be too obscure and the fire too hot to advance against, so the brigade settled into the trenches for the night. During the morning of the following day an officer’s patrol from A Company pushed on and established a post in Macquenet trench, and orders came about 1 p.m. to make all progress possible in the direction of Vendhuille, so by 5 p.m. A Company was established in Macquenet trench, losing its leader, Lieut. A. N. Widdop, while moving there, and B and C well forward; but at night the battalion position was taken over by the East Surreys and the Buffs were placed in brigade reserve, and on the 2nd October were taken away to Contay, some ten miles west of Albert, for a fortnight’s rest and recreation, which of course included training.

An endeavour has been made to trace the history of the 6th Battalion and the 7th together from the capture of Albert to that of the Hindenburg Line at Vendhuille, that is from the 22nd August till the end of September, because during that very strenuous and historic period the 12th and 18th Divisions, to which the Buff units respectively belonged, were working hand in hand, supporting and relieving each other and so on, but from the 1st October till the end of the war the 6th and 7th were far apart again; the former, together with the whole division in which it was serving, was transferred to the 1st Army very early in October, and therefore the area of their activities was no longer identical, and the 6th Buffs were at Rumegies, ten miles south of Tournai, when the war came to an end; while the 7th celebrated that event at the village of Pommereuil, not very far from Le Cateau. It will therefore be convenient now to complete the war story of the 6th Battalion and then consider that of their comrades of the 7th.