"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 in 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.
Aug. 1918.
On the 8th August the 4th Army launched a completely successful attack west of Amiens, and an 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, 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 That same evening the 62nd Divisional Artillery were withdrawn to Bertrancourt, and thence marched to join the 38th Division in an attack from the neighbourhood of Aveluy Wood.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 Pozières, 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; unfortunately, 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 Bouzincourt, 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 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 continuous marching.