Unfortunately the attack of the division on the right was held up all morning by the very strong enemy defences around Beaucamp, a commanding position on the right flank of the 125th Brigade’s line of advance. The 7th and 8th L.F. were thus exposed to a terrible enfilading fire from the high ground about Beaucamp, and the leading companies were practically blotted out. Within half an hour of the start all the officers of one company of the 8th L.F., and all but one of each of two other companies, had been killed or wounded. With great gallantry the two battalions persisted in face of a murderous fire, but the failure to drive the enemy out of Beaucamp made it impossible for the Fusiliers to get beyond their first objective, the Black Line, until towards midday. The right of the 127th Brigade, which had made good progress, was thus left in the air. The leading wave of the 5th Manchesters had advanced over Trescault Ridge in fine style, and had gained the first objective within the scheduled time, with considerable, but not disproportionate, loss. The 6th and 7th Manchesters, dividing the front equally, passed through the 5th, and, though badly knocked about by machine-gun fire, both from the front and the unprotected right flank, they made good the Red and Brown Lines in the course of the forenoon, and the 7th Manchesters captured two 77 mm. guns. With bomb and bayonet they turned the Germans out of their huge and elaborate dug-outs in batches of twenty and thirty, about 400 being taken in the first three hours by the 127th Brigade and the Machine-Gun Company, which had gone forward with its usual dash, and had selected its positions and handled its weapons with much coolness and skill. More than 350 enemy dead were buried later in the area between the Black and Brown Lines.
September 27
On the right of the 127th Brigade’s front the 7th Manchesters were wholly exposed to enfilade fire from the high ground to the south—for Beaucamp still defied the division on the right—and their casualties were grievous: 450 men of this battalion went over at 8.20 a.m.; only 150 were left at the end of the day, and of 16 officers only 4 remained. Two determined counter-attacks were made against the 7th Manchesters on the Brown Line, but “B” Company flung back a defensive flank and held the ground, the machine-gunners doing great execution. Further progress was impossible until touch had been regained with the 125th Brigade. By 11.30 a.m. the 1st Cheshires had mopped up Beaucamp, and the Lancashire Fusiliers were now able to make progress towards the Red Line, and cleared up Boar Copse with the assistance of one of the tanks. At 1.30 p.m. they had passed the second objective and were approaching the Brown Line, overcoming fierce resistance and inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. By 2.30 p.m. a company of the 6th Manchesters, consisting of 2 officers and 30 other ranks, had reached the Yellow Line, on the extreme left of the divisional boundary, joining hands with the 187th Brigade of the 3rd Division in Ribecourt, and about the same time an equally weak company of the 7th Manchesters was on this line, and the enemy was being turned out of his network of dug-outs. The German machine-gunners were specially selected and trained men of undoubted valour, and as a rule they would work their guns and fight to the death. But the infantry, though they would fight well under the protection of the machine-guns, were cowed by the bayonet when close quarters were reached, and would then surrender with curious docility, and often, indeed, with eagerness. The Manchesters could spare no men as escorts for prisoners; they simply waved them to the rear, and the Boches meekly obeyed, too glad to be out of the fighting to attempt to take advantage of the disproportion between captors and captives by acts of treachery. There were exceptions, of course, and on one such occasion a mud-begrimed private approached his officer with: “Beg pardon, sir, ’ave I your permission to shoot one of the prisoners who threw a bomb at us after putting ’is ’ands up?” “Certainly,” replied the officer. The man looked relieved. “That’s all right, sir. I ’ave shot the blighter.”
The 127th Brigade was now linked up with the 62nd Division, which had passed through the 3rd Division and now occupied Ribecourt. During the afternoon there was a lull in the fighting. The company objectives were in some cases on a frontage of 600 yards, and numbers were now so small that commanders had not men enough to attack on so broad a front. Little parties gained ground as they could, but reorganization and reinforcement were necessary before a further assault on a large scale could be made. On both sides the artillery was on the move, our batteries pushing forward, theirs retiring to avoid risk of capture. It was becoming evident that the enemy’s strength was failing, and that the spirit had been hammered out of him. It had been a soldier’s battle of ding-dong fighting against an enemy possessing the advantage of the strongest possible positions combined with superiority in numbers of men and of machine-guns. To win success against such odds required skill with weapons—bullet, bayonet, and bomb—and also the finest qualities of initiative, resource, determination, and endurance on the part of subordinate leaders and men, and this skill and these qualities had been shown in a high degree. When company, platoon, and section commanders fell, junior N.C.O.s and even privates had proved that they could lead. By sunset more than a thousand prisoners, including two battalion commanders and a complete headquarters staff, had been passed through the divisional cage. The artillery had contributed splendidly to the successful issue of the day, and the rapidity with which they had moved into action in new advanced positions had been remarkable.
Welsh Ridge, September 28
Orders were issued to attack the Blue Line during the night. As the 6th and 7th Manchesters had lost so large a proportion of their officers and men, the 10th Manchesters were placed at Brig.-General Henley’s disposal for the operation, and this battalion was brought up into the Yellow Line and moved into its positions for the assault in pitch darkness. On the right of the divisional front the 5th Lancashire Fusiliers passed through the 7th and 8th Battalions on the Brown Line, in preparation for the attack. Zero hour was altered from 1.30 a.m., September 28, as originally fixed, to 2.30 a.m., at the request of the division on the right; and at the latter hour, the waning moon being now up, the 10th Manchesters and the 5th L.F. moved off with fine dash under a creeping barrage.[22] The attack was successful along the whole front, and by 6 a.m. the Oldhamers had secured the final objective and the Bury men had passed the Yellow Line and were approaching Highland Ridge. “B” Company, M.G. Battalion, again distinguished itself by engaging two German field-guns and destroying the crews. The company commander, Major E. W. C. Flavell, personally engaged one of the guns and forced the enemy to abandon it. Both guns were captured later. Throughout the operations of these two days the machine-gunners of all companies fought their guns splendidly, and took a number of prisoners. Lieut.-Colonel W. K. Tillie, commanding the M.G. Battalion, did work of great value in making most daring reconnaissances. The 10th Manchesters took more than 250 prisoners and the 5th L.F. a large number and also a 77 mm. gun with gun-team. The enemy, plainly demoralized, could be seen from the edge of Couillet Valley moving in straggling parties eastwards and upwards towards Welsh Ridge, where a stand was to be expected. The 10th Manchesters at once sent patrols into the valley and across the railway, and at 8.15 a.m. “A” Squadron, 3rd Hussars, was ordered up from Velu and placed at the disposal of Brig.-General Henley. At 10.30 a.m. the cheering report arrived that the Oldham patrols had gained a footing on Welsh Ridge. The Brigadier ordered the cavalry to report to the O.C. 10th Manchesters, and to assist that battalion in the task of reconnaissance, and he began to move larger bodies of infantry across the valley.
In the early afternoon the 126th Brigade took over the left front and passed through the 127th. It had been ordered to take over the whole of the divisional front and establish itself on Welsh Ridge, but the Lancashire Fusiliers were not to be denied. The 5th L.F. had reached the top of Highland Ridge, and here the 8th L.F., in spite of their serious losses thirty-six hours earlier, passed through them and followed the 3rd Hussars in close support to Good Old Man Farm, a post of considerable importance on the ridge. The Hussars had captured one side of the farm, the other being still in the enemy’s possession, and they held on until the infantry arrived and took over. By 6 p.m. the 8th Manchesters (who had passed through the 10th), and a little later the 8th L.F., had reached their objectives and won the summit of Welsh Ridge. The 125th Brigade had captured between 400 and 500 prisoners during the day, 35 machine-guns, 6 trench-mortars, and a field-gun. Welsh Ridge had been made good at a comparatively slight cost, and at 3 a.m. on September 29 the New Zealand Division relieved and passed through the 42nd; and from this most advantageous “kicking-off” ground they continued the victorious advance. The battle had been very involved, and no definite line could be found on the top of Welsh Ridge, behind which the New Zealanders could form up before “leap-frogging” the 42nd. Therefore, after dark, all 42nd troops east of Surrey Road, on the western slope, were withdrawn to that road, and here the New Zealanders were given exceptionally favourable assembly and “kicking-off” positions, and a perfect artillery barrage.
In two days of incessant fighting the Division had pierced the much-vaunted Hindenburg Line to a depth of 5000 yards, and the Booty Officer’s report stated that 1712 prisoners from five enemy divisions, 8 field-guns, one 4·2-inch howitzer, and 92 machine-guns had been taken. But this was certainly an under-estimate, as nearly 1500 Germans passed through the 127th Brigade command post on one day, September 27. It was impossible to estimate accurately the numbers captured by any given formation, as the Germans were so thoroughly beaten and so glad to be out of the fighting, that they took charge of themselves and marched into captivity without escort. The Division had lost 12 officers and 179 other ranks killed, and 33 officers and 874 other ranks wounded and missing. The enemy’s losses in killed and wounded had been enormous.
The Division withdrew to Havrincourt Wood for ten days’ rest, reorganization, and training of the new drafts. General Solly-Flood, congratulating his troops on the successful storming of the Hindenburg Line, and on “the soldierly conduct and gallant fighting qualities displayed,” assured them that “Once more you have proved the Divisional Motto, and have struck a hard blow for our King and Country. I am proud to be your Commander.” He also presented ribbons of decorations awarded for conspicuous service. Each recipient of an honour, when the ribbon was pinned to his tunic, was given a card bearing the Divisional Sign and Motto, and the signature of the Divisional Commander, on which an account of the deed was typewritten, and these cards are highly prized. Between March and September 1918, as opportunity offered, many hundreds of these were presented by the General; and the stories of these deeds of valour and devotion to duty would fill several volumes. The more thickly such acts were crowded into the space of a few days, as on March 25-26, August 21-24, August 30—September 2, and September 27-28, the less chance has the historian to record individual instances, such as stand out when raids, not battles, are the stirring events of the period.
The loss of many good comrades was sorely felt, but individual grief was for a time swamped by the common exultation. For four years the tide of battle had ebbed and flowed more or less evenly. Successful but costly attacks had been followed by equally successful and costly counter-attacks; the finer heroism on the one side had been balanced by great material advantage on the other, and it seemed as though trench warfare must go on for ever. At last the thrill of victory upon victory was being experienced, and the knowledge that they had played a worthy part, that they had been strong and of good courage, was very pleasant. From all parts of the Allied line came the same story of victory, and the news of Allenby’s 45,000 prisoners in Palestine, and of Bulgaria’s unconditional surrender, now arrived to crown the jubilation.