(From a snapshot)
ACHIET-LE-GRAND. THE RAILWAY CUTTING.
ACHIET-LE-GRAND. THE RAILWAY EMBANKMENT.
ESSARTS. DUG OUT USED AS BRIGADE HQRS. DURING FIGHTING BETWEEN MARCH 28 AND APRIL 7.
BUCQUOY CROSS ROADS: THE SCENE OF SEVERE HAND-TO-HAND FIGHTING ON APRIL 5, 1918, BY THE 125TH BRIGADE.
Along the road from Bapaume, through Achiet-le-Grand, batteries of heavy guns were being withdrawn to positions farther back, and processions of wounded, and the personnel of stationary hospitals and clearing stations, were moving to the rear as the infantry brigades set off at dusk. They proceeded in a north-easterly direction towards Gomiecourt, where they expected to be met by guides who would lead them to the positions they were to take over from the 40th Division, which had been in action for forty-eight hours about Mory—more than two miles east of Gomiecourt—and had suffered heavily. Twice had Mory been taken by the enemy, and twice re-taken by counter-attack, and fighting was still in progress there. The region through which the Brigades passed was familiar to many, though it wore a very different aspect now, and as the rifle-range used during the previous summer and the old camp of the 125th Brigade were passed, the contrast between the conditions then and now was the subject of much comment. Instead of the lines of canvas tents one could see dimly the heavy artillery in action and, when the gun-flashes lighted up the surroundings, the horses harnessed ready to remove the guns in case of emergency. Soon after the leading battalion had left Gomiecourt a Staff Officer of the 40th Division brought word that “as the enemy are reported to have broken through between Sapignies and Behagnies,” the order for the relief had been cancelled, so he diverted the direction of the 125th and 127th Brigades. The report that the enemy had broken through at Sapignies was later found to be incorrect. The 127th Brigade, deflected to the right—that is, to the south instead of to the east—moved across the open in artillery formation, and the 125th before long passed diagonally across their lines. The enemy were pressing to the north and north-west through the gap made by their break-through at Bapaume, and the leading brigades had turned south and south-east to stand across their path. Near Forest Lodge the 126th Brigade met the same Staff Officer, but as Brigadier-General Seymour knew that the other Brigades had changed direction, he considered that they would be able to deal with the situation on the right, and decided to carry out the original orders. The 127th Brigade was therefore on the right of the divisional front, facing south and south-east; the 125th in the centre, facing south-east and east; and the 126th (supposed to be in Divisional Reserve) on the left, facing east and north-east. Commanding officers, subordinate officers and men of all three Brigades deserve the greatest credit for the skilful dispositions made under such unfavourable conditions. The difficult operation of taking up defensive positions on ground that had not been reconnoitred had been accomplished in darkness.