| CHAP. | PAGE | |
|---|---|---|
| I. | Mobilisation—Departure Overseas | [1] |
| II. | The 1/4th Battalion in Malta—Formation of the 2/4th Battalion | [8] |
| III. | The 1/4th Battalion in France—Operations at Neuve Chapelle | [18] |
| IV. | The 1/4th Battalion in the Second Battle of Ypres, 1915 | [40] |
| V. | Operations during the Summer of 1915 | [58] |
| VI. | The 1/4th Battalion in the 47th Division | [73] |
| VII. | The 2/4th Battalion in Malta, Gallipoli Peninsula and Southern Egypt | [86] |
| VIII. | The 3/4th and 4/4th Battalions at Home | [115] |
| IX. | The Formation of the 56th Division | [132] |
| X. | The 1/4th Battalion in the Battles of the Somme, 1916—I. The Attack on Gommecourt | [139] |
| XI. | The 1/4th Battalion in the Battles of the Somme, 1916—II. The Battles of September and October | [177] |
| XII. | The 1/4th Battalion during the Winter 1916/17 | [217] |
| XIII. | The 2/4th Battalion in France—German Retirement from the Somme | [236] |
| XIV. | The 1/4th Battalion in the Battles of Arras, 1917 | [251] |
| XV. | The 2/4th Battalion in the Battles for Bullecourt, 1917 | [273] |
| XVI. | The Third Battle of Ypres, 1917—I. The 1/4 Battalion on the Menin Road. | [294] |
| XVII. | The Third Battle of Ypres, 1917—II. The 2/4 Battalion on the Northern Ridges | [306] |
| XVIII. | The 1/4th Battalion in the Battle of Cambrai, 1917 | [325] |
| XIX. | The 1/4th Battalion, Winter 1917/18—The Reserve Battalion 1916/17 | [345] |
| XX. | The 2/4th Battalion in the Second Battle of the Somme, 1918 | [359] |
| XXI. | The 1/4th Battalion in the Defence of Arras, 1918 | [392] |
| XXII. | The 1/4th and 2/4th Battalions during the Summer Months of 1918—The Reserve Battalion, 1918 | [409] |
| XXIII. | The Final Advance—I. The 2/4th Battalion in the Battles of Amiens and Bapaume, 1918 | [428] |
| XXIV. | The Final Advance—II. The 1/4th Battalion in the Battle of Bapaume, 1918 | [460] |
| XXV. | The Final Advance—III. The 1/4th Battalion in the Battles of Cambrai and the Sambre, 1918 | [478] |
| LIST OF APPENDICES | ||
| I. | Malta | [508] |
| II. | Honours and Decorations | [510] |
| III. | The Reconstruction of the 4th London Regiment in 1920 | [518] |
| Index | [521] | |
| ILLUSTRATIONS | ||
| Ypres Cathedral | [Frontispiece] | |
| TO FACE PAGE | ||
| Ghain Tuffieha Camp—Melleha Camp—Selmun Palace | [8] | |
| Melleha—The Grand Harbour, Valetta | [16] | |
| St Jean Village in April 1920 | [56] | |
| Rouge Croix, La Bassée Road—The Doll's House (Ferozepore Brigade Headquarters), La Bassée Road | [64] | |
| Signpost Lane, Neuve Chapelle—Ruined Farmhouse, Neuve Chapelle | [232] | |
| Inverness Copse | [304] | |
| Passchendaele Ridge | [320] | |
| Arras Cathedral | [416] | |
| SKETCH MAPS | ||
| By Captain F. Clive Grimwade | ||
| NO. | ||
| 1. | Neuve Chapelle—Richebourg l'Avoué | [32] |
| 2. | The Second Battle of Ypres, 1915 | [48] |
| 3. | Gallipoli Peninsula—Cape Helles Trenches, 1915 | [96] |
| 4. | The Attack on Gommecourt, 1st July 1916 | [144] |
| 5. | The Battle of Ginchy, September 1916 | [192] |
| 6. | The Battle of Morval, September 1916 | [204] |
| 7. | The Battle of the Le Transloy Ridges, October 1916 | [208] |
| 8. | Laventie, Winter 1916/17 | [224] |
| 9. | The German Retirement, February-March 1917 | [240] |
| 10. | Cavalry Farm, May 1917 | [266] |
| 11. | Bullecourt, May-June, 1917 | [288] |
| 12. | The Third Battle of Ypres, 1917 (1/4th Battalion) | [296] |
| 13. | The Third Battle of Ypres, 1917 (2/4th Battalion) | [312] |
| 14. | The Battle of Cambrai, 1917 | [336] |
| 15. | The Retreat from La Fère, March 1918 | [368] |
| 16. | The Defence of Arras, March 1918 | [400] |
| 17. | The Battle of Amiens, 1918 (2/4th Battalion)—The Action at Chipilly Ridge, 8th-10th August | [432] |
| 18. | The Battle of Bapaume, 1918 (2/4th Battalion) | [448] |
| 19. | The Battle of Bapaume, 1918 (1/4th Battalion) | [472] |
| 20. | The Battle of Cambrai, 1918—The Canal du Nord | [488] |
| 21. | The Battle of the Sambre, 1918 | [496] |
CHAPTER I
MOBILISATION—DEPARTURE OVERSEAS
Of the London Volunteer Corps the unit now known as the 4th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) is one of the most ancient. Called out as a Trained Band in 1643 to share in repelling a threatened Royalist invasion of the City during the Civil Wars, it has had a practically unbroken history for nearly three hundred years. After the regular constitution of the Volunteer Forces in the middle of last century it achieved some distinction as the 1st Tower Hamlets Rifle Brigade, and despatched a machine-gun detachment to the fighting in South Africa in 1900. In 1903 it became affiliated to The Royal Fusiliers, as the 4th Volunteer Battalion of that distinguished Regiment. On the reorganisation of the auxiliary forces in 1908 by Lord Haldane, it acquired its present designation, which we will abbreviate to the more convenient title by which it became known in the Great War, namely, The 4th London Regiment.
Prior to the War the training provided for the Territorial Force was only such as to furnish the nucleus of a Second Line Army. Fourteen days in camp each summer, an easy musketry course, and a few drills at headquarters could not develop a soldier fit to meet fully trained troops. That this was recognised by Lord Haldane is evidenced by the fact that his scheme provided for a period of six months' training at home for all Territorial soldiers should war break out, prior to their despatch on active service.
But they were none the less given a definite rôle in the defence of the Motherland. Possibly this was not always realised to the full by all the officers and non-commissioned officers of the Regiment; but it was unmistakably brought home to them one evening in February 1914 when a secret meeting of officers was convened at Headquarters in Hoxton for the explanation of the scheme of mobilisation and of the task which the Regiment would be called upon to execute should war occur.
At that date the scheme of Mobilisation was already complete. Under it the 1st London Infantry Brigade, of which the 4th London formed a part, was entrusted with the supremely important task of guarding the London and South Western Railway between London and Southampton during the mobilisation and embarkation of the Expeditionary Force from the latter port. The section allotted to the 4th Battalion was the main line from Waterloo Station to Farnborough (inclusive); the Alton branch from its junction with the main line near Brookwood to Bentley Station; and the branch from the last-named station to Borden Camp. These dispositions were worked out in the greatest detail, and arrangements were made for the efficient guarding of all railway stations, signal boxes, junctions, tunnels and bridges, and for a system of constant patrolling of the line.
The Infantry of the Territorial Force not being supplied during peace time with war scale of transport, ammunition, etc., provision was made for this necessary equipment to be drawn on mobilisation, and waggons and horses in civilian employ were "earmarked" beforehand for this purpose.
The scheme having been explained, arrangements were made to detail all guards, patrols, and requisitioning parties in readiness.
When the war cloud over South-eastern Europe began to spread in July 1914 and threatened to envelop this country in the storm, the finishing touches were put to the scheme at a memorable secret meeting at Headquarters on the evening of Thursday, 31st July 1914. After that meeting few who attended it had any doubt as to what was about to take place.