CHAPTER XLI
AMERICA CORNER—THE ATTACK—CROSSING THE LYS—BOUS—BECQUE—RONCQ—THE PURSUIT TOWARDS THE RIVER SCHELDT—PETIT TOURCOING—AVELGHEM—THE ARMISTICE—COURTRAI AREA—MARCH OVER DEVASTATED AREA VIA ARMENTIERES—BOESINGHEM—BASE DUTIES—THE END.
On the 11th of October, 1918, the Battalion left their camp near Wytschaete and marched to take over the line at America Corner, about 1½ miles north of Wervicq. This relief entailed a long march of about 12 miles. The first part was done during the morning, when a halt was made under the cover of a small ridge about a mile west of Houthem. The weather was fine and the enemy artillery did not bother us on this part of the journey. On the way we passed two derelict British Tanks, relics of our advance in 1917. From the halt advance parties of an officer and a few N.C.O.’s from each Company went forward, but it was not until dusk that the Battalion was able to continue their march over the canal bridge at Houthem and thence via Tenbrilen. The roads were difficult, and as the country had been in enemy hands many new tracks and roads had been made, and, together with the darkness and the inevitable rain which accompanies most marches, attacks and reliefs, the latter part of the journey became very trying. The advance parties who left earlier in the day came under very heavy artillery fire near their destination, and were met by large parties of British troops who had been “gassed”—an unpleasant omen. The whole area near America Corner was soaked with gas, and the place was littered with dead horses. The Headquarters of the Battalion we were to relieve had been reduced to the Commanding Officer, who lay on the floor of the dug-out blinded by the gas, while practically all the remainder of Headquarters Company had suffered from the gas shells and had been evacuated. The R.A.M.C. men, who were busy in this gas-stricken zone, which was still being shelled when the advance parties of our Battalion arrived, deserved the highest praise for their devotion to duty. Here, indeed, was a pleasant outlook, and before the Battalion had arrived some of our own advance party had suffered and had to be evacuated, including Acting R.S.M. Dyer, who, unfortunately, was killed later on in the day, an enemy shell landing right on the ambulance car in which he was travelling some six miles farther back. In the evening heavy rain fell, and the Battalion struggled in the dark along the shelled roads which were now covered in thick mud. About 11 p.m. the Battalion arrived at America Corner, and fortunately at that time when the shelling had diminished, only to learn that the Battalions in the line on both flanks were just about to raid the Boche lines. Before the Companies could form up under their guides, a heavy artillery duel opened up, and, of course, every one took immediate cover wherever possible. Luckily only a few minor casualties resulted, and the relief was continued. The Battalion, however, had practically no time to learn anything of their new surroundings before daybreak, as the enemy continued to shell the area throughout the night. When dawn came it was found that we were under observation from the Boche trenches, and that Battalion Headquarters was only a matter of 250 yards from the front enemy trenches, and overlooked by Wervicq Church, where the enemy had an Observation Post. Not that there is anything particularly daring about this fact, but Battalion Headquarters is always the centre of attraction for thousands of runners from rear authorities, asking for the quantity of jam, etc., when the real thing to be considered is the enemy artillery and the preparation for the coming attack. Besides, constant callers always make a place conspicuous, even if that place is in a quiet suburban street, and with the perfect observation of the enemy we had no desire to become conspicuous. Throughout the day the enemy continued to shell the area, devoting much of his “gaseous” attentions on America Corner. Two days were given to us to acquaint ourselves with this sector, and as no movement was possible by day it meant a great deal of night work and practically no rest.
The night before the attack rations were brought up on pack mules by our Quartermaster, Captain Joslin, and his assistant, Lieutenant Wright. Both these officers found great difficulty in persuading the mules to come up with the rations, and the prospect of being heavily shelled on the return journey while in charge of these stupid animals was not encouraging for them. However, they were soon relieved; an orderly put his head into the pill-box entrance and gravely informed them that a shell had just arrived and disposed of their four-footed friends. Wright had a leave warrant for England on the morrow in his pocket, yet he came up to this inferno just to wish us “Cheerio and Good Luck,” although his attendance was not officially necessary.
The attack was ordered for dawn on the 14th of October, and the artillery opened up a most terrific barrage at 5.30 a.m., and after a four minute bombardment of the enemy front lines the attack was launched under the same heavy volume of artillery fire which gradually crept forward. “Jumping-off” lines had been laid out the previous night, and from these the Battalion advanced close on the creeping barrage in which a great number of smoke shells were used. Within 30 minutes of the commencement of the attack, German prisoners poured into our lines; apparently under this fierce artillery fire they had made very little resistance in the front line. No less than 313 prisoners, including 9 officers, passed through our Battalion Headquarters within a half-hour.
The 2/14th attacked on our left and with us were successful in reaching the first objectives near the railway line from Wervicq to Menin.
Some individual cases of gallantry reported were: Sergeant B. Coultard, “B” Company, who, with his Platoon, did yeoman work, and rounded up 45 of the enemy; Corporal C. D. Lodge, “C” Company, with his men cleared the wire defences of a strong point and carried it; Private Oakes, “D” Company, single-handed rushed an enemy pill-box, put 14 of the enemy out of action, with rifle and bombs and then took 10 prisoners. Lance-Corporal J. Barnsfather, “B” Company, and Corporal W. J. Mash, “D” Company, were not far behind in their performances.
All along the line the first rush had succeeded, and under cover of a barrage from our artillery the Battalion halted and consolidated in preparation for a counter-attack. While the attack was proceeding all occupied areas behind the Boche lines were bombarded with a great number of gas shells. Although the resistance from the Boche troops was small, their artillery was not slow in replying to our fire, and a heavy bombardment of the British lines was soon in full swing.
The next step was to exploit this initial success and to push on up to and, if possible, across, the River Lys, whilst the enemy was still disorganised and his guns on the move. On the right this involved the clearing of Wervicq, in whose narrow streets and half broken-down houses there were still a good many machine-guns and snipers. By this time the mist and smoke had gone, and the advance was entirely uncovered in any way, for there was practically no ground cover here. Patrols pushed out towards the Lys as soon as the first objective was gained were held up by machine-gun fire, and, in part, by the old wire that still remained.
From the newly-captured position the ground on our direct front sloped gradually to the River Lys, and it was devoid of all cover; in daylight it was impossible to push forward without incurring unnecessary casualties. In the dusk, however, patrols pushed out and found that the enemy had retired to the farther bank of the river, but had destroyed all the bridges by fire. About midnight, however, “A” Company, under Captain Du Heaume, were able to make a crossing by a bridge which had not been quite destroyed, just to the right of our direct front, and afterwards he was able to take his Company along the farther bank and form a bridgehead near Bousbecque. Under cover of this bridgehead the Sappers, under Major Atkinson, R.E., placed a pontoon bridge across the river, though during the whole of its construction the work was hindered by artillery and machine-gun fire. Just after dawn the remainder of the Battalion crossed the river and occupied Bousbecque, a village which had been badly damaged by our artillery.
We cleared the village and in the early morning were able to form a defensive line on the far outskirts. It was, however, impossible for us to push on any farther, as we were held up on our direct front by a heavily-wired line of trenches known as the Linselles Switch. Furthermore, on our right the situation was not quite clear and heavy fighting was in progress, while the London Scottish on our left were unable to effect a crossing of the Lys owing to the flat nature of the ground to their front, which was swept by machine-gun fire from the high factories on the farther bank nearer Menin. Later in the day, however, the 14th Division had forced a crossing near Wervicq, and were able to push up on our right, and on this flank the enemy gradually withdrew. During the afternoon the London Scottish came over to their right and crossed our pontoon bridge and came into Bousbecque. By this time the enemy had left the Linselles Switch under our pressure, and we were able to occupy the high ground east of the village of Bousbecque from Mont D’Halluin to Roncq. The line was continued on our right by the 31st Division which had then pushed through the 14th Division, while on our left the 2/16th Londons (Queen’s Westminsters) continued the line north-east as far as Reckem, having experienced some hard fighting in crossing the Lys just south of Menin by means of rafts made from old doors, duck-boards, etc. In the evening the London Scottish moved from Bousbecque to Roncq for the night, when they were ordered to continue the pursuit next morning after their night’s rest.