The discomfort of that camp, however, was eclipsed on the night of the 27th of November, when the Battalion bivouacked in a field of rich creamy mud at Doignies, the journey from Le Transloy having been made by bus to Velu, and thence by route march, each man carrying his blanket over his arm.
CHAPTER XIX
BOURLON WOOD AND THE HINDENBURG LINE
Two of the most serious checks to the 3rd Army advance on Cambrai were the villages of Bourlon and Fontaine Notre Dame, respectively at the north-west and south-east corners of Bourlon Wood. The latter village, too, was almost at the entrance to Cambrai on the Bapaume-Cambrai road.
Both these villages had been captured towards the end of November, but were afterwards retaken. The Guards Division, who had preceded the 47th Division, accordingly attacked them again, and before the Civil Service Rifles left Le Transloy it was learned that the attack had succeeded, though the enemy very soon recaptured both villages once more.
It was understood, however, that the English advance was to continue, and when the Civil Service Rifles reached Doignies, the battle surplus had already been sent back to the Divisional Reinforcement Camp. As the situation in the front line underwent such frequent changes, there had been nothing in the nature of a rehearsal of the coming battle, which it was expected would be more in the nature of open warfare than had been any of the previous operations of the 47th Division.
On arriving at Doignies, Colonel Segrave received orders for his Battalion to occupy part of the Hindenburg Line on the following day (the 28th), and at a very early hour, he started with his Adjutant, Medical Officer, Signals Officer and four Company Commanders for the Headquarters of the front line brigade. The Battalion, in fighting order, moved off later in the morning and occupied a part of the Hindenburg Line nearly due west of Graincourt.
At Brigade Headquarters Colonel Segrave learnt that he was to relieve one of the Cavalry regiments holding the front line in Bourlon Wood, but the date of relief was not then settled. He therefore took his party across country, passing within a hundred yards or so of Graincourt, across sunken roads, to a sugar factory on the Bapaume-Cambrai road, where it was understood a guide would be found.
Leaving the sugar factory, many signs of the recent advance were seen, German equipment, rifles and ammunition being scattered almost everywhere. Derelict English tanks and aeroplanes were also to be seen, and the landscape generally presented a desolate picture.
The Cavalry Headquarters occupied what had been a pretty chalet in a delightful spot in the middle of the wood—an ideal place for a summer picnic. There was no suggestion of a summer picnic about it now, however, for the bitter fighting of the past few days had left its mark everywhere, and in and around the chalet were gathered weary warriors, eagerly awaiting the news of their relief.
