R. SELLE FIGHTING. THE RAVINE.
Second Phase.—The 127th Brigade to pass through the 126th and advance from the Green Line at 7 a.m., under a barrage at the rate of 100 yards in five minutes, to the Red Line (of which the hamlet of Marou formed the centre), about 1200 to 1500 yards further to the north-east. After a pause of fifteen to thirty minutes, to continue the advance to the Brown Line, which would secure the important tactical point of the sunken cross-roads on the top of the hill between Marou and Romeries, at the rate of 100 yards in four minutes, making the total advance for the morning about 4000 yards on the left, and rather more than 3000 on the right. Handshakes to be established with the flanking divisions where the lines cross the divisional boundaries.
Plan of Attack, October 20
Third Phase.—The advance beyond the Brown Line to be carried on by the 125th Brigade, objectives and date depending upon the general situation on the front of the Corps.
Two companies of the M.G. Battalion were allotted to the 126th Brigade and one to the 127th. The reserve company, with a company of the New Zealand M.G. Battalion, would cover the advance from high ground west of the Selle. The importance attached by the Commander-in-Chief to the offensive east of Cambrai was shown by the vast array of artillery concentrated there. As the artillery was let loose upon the enemy positions the thunder of the heavy guns seemed to shake the ground, and it was amazing that ammunition could be brought up in sufficient supplies to feed the voracious monsters. The night of October 19-20 was very dark, and to assist the infantry to keep direction, the artillery fired bright “incendiary” shells to mark the flanks and also the centre of their barrage, and these proved useful guides. The attacking battalions had already rehearsed the assault on preceding days, and each moved off through Briastre in the darkness, mist and rain, crossed the Selle, and arrived at its “kicking-off” position between midnight and 1 a.m., the 5th East Lancashires without loss. The left flank, however, was heavily shelled, and the 10th Manchesters suffered rather severely. It was raining hard, but many men were so tired that they fell asleep as they lay in a beet-field awaiting the signal.
At 2 a.m. (October 20) the barrage came down 300 yards in front, and the first waves went over as one man. The bandsmen of the 5th East Lancashires, who were on duty as extra stretcher-bearers, had brought up their instruments, and played the Regimental March under teeming rain and heavy fire. Enemy machine-guns opened at once and caused about fifty casualties among the 5th East Lancashires, and a thick belt of wire had to be got through in the dark. But the sections were on the railway in good time, and with a terrific yell the Burnley men entered the steep cutting and went for the defenders with the bayonet, and in a very short time a red Very light signalled back that the railway was captured. Meanwhile the platoon detached to carry Belle Vue Farm—a formidable position, strengthened by three cunningly devised machine-gun nests—had achieved its object, though both its commander and sergeant had fallen before the objective had been reached. The barrage slowed down to the four-minute rate, and the second wave advanced in extended order and captured the ravine. They were then enfiladed by machine-guns, but this hardly checked the advance, and the Green Line was carried, the battalion having passed through six defensive belts, at all of which opposition was encountered. On reaching the final objective they were harassed for a time by machine-gun fire from the left, and in the blackness of the night a number of the men lost direction and wandered into the 10th Manchester’s territory. Touch was soon established, however, with this battalion, and, later, with the 5th Division; and the ground was thoroughly mopped up. The battalion had suffered more than a hundred casualties, but had captured 300 prisoners, of better physique and appearance than any previously taken.
The 10th Manchesters had met with equal success on the left. Encountering wire west of the railway, Lance-Corporal Revell rushed forward, and though the wire was still under our own barrage, he cut a gap through which the section passed. A little later, Revell charged a machine-gun post and bayoneted the crew. The railway cutting was a ravine, down the steep banks of which the Oldham men stumbled and rolled in the dark. It was strongly held and deadly machine-gun fire was brought to bear upon them, but they were quickly masters of the situation, and at the scheduled time a green flare signalled that the 10th Manchesters held the railway line. The Green Line was also captured to time. There was much bitter hand-to-hand fighting in the dark, and numerous instances of the rushing and capture of machine-gun posts. So well was the direction kept that the right company found itself exactly on the spot on the Green Line at which it had aimed. The leading companies were now enfiladed by two machine-guns in the sunken road, so Captain J. A. C. Taylor, D.S.O., M.C., took two men forward with a Lewis gun, which, however, he was unable to fire, owing to the mud. He brought up a German machine-gun, but this also jammed. He next went several hundred yards under continuous machine-gun fire to obtain rifle-grenades, which he fired, and then rushed forward, shot two of the enemy with his revolver, and made the rest run. This prompt and courageous action—for which the bar to the M.C. was awarded—cleared up the situation on the Green Line, and ensured a capital starting-point for the 6th Manchesters.
Typical Incidents, October 20
During the early hours of the morning of October 20th, both in the darkness and at dawn, there were numerous instances of daring, resource, and initiative, every one of which is well worth recording if space permitted. A few may be picked out at random, as typical of many others performed by officers and men of all battalions engaged that day. On the left Sergeant S. R. Lees, in command of a platoon of the 10th Manchesters engaged in clearing the railway cutting, worked round to the rear of a crater strongly held by machine-guns, which they attacked and captured. He then pushed on to Solesmes, outside the divisional boundary, mopping up the whole railway triangle, accounting for a number of the enemy on the way and taking their machine-guns, and got into touch with the 62nd Division. This platoon cleared more than 1000 yards of the railway. Corporal W. Martin, with two men of the 10th Manchesters, came upon a body of nearly fifty of the enemy. The three opened fire and shot several Germans, then charged with the bayonet, killed and wounded others, and put the remainder to flight. Sergeant T. O’Connel, leading his men with great dash, rushed and captured five machine-guns in succession. Captain J. C. S. Rowbotham rushed two machine-gun posts, shooting the crews, taking the guns, and accounting for twenty-four of the enemy. Private J. H. Chapman, No. 1 of a Lewis-gun, when passing through wire was fired at by a machine-gun at close range. He brought his gun into action and killed the crew. Being wounded, he handed his gun to No. 2 and continued the advance to the final objective 1500 yards away, where he bayoneted a number of the enemy, and only had his wounds dressed when the position had been consolidated.
On the right, similar heroism was shown. Sergeant W. Fletcher and two men of the 5th East Lancashires rushed a post containing twenty Germans and two machine-guns, and killed or captured the lot. Lieutenant W. Cookson, with six men, charged a machine-gun nest containing an officer and thirty men, killed eight and took the rest prisoner. Privates Yegliss, M.M., and Chalkley were sent with a message to Battalion H.Q. On the way they encountered three separate armed parties of the enemy, overcame their resistance, and delivered the message and eight unwounded prisoners. A section of the same battalion came under very deadly machine-gun fire which caused a number of casualties. Seeing his comrades hesitate, Private A. Waterhouse called out, “I’m hit, lads, but I’m going on!” Inspired by this example, the survivors of the section promptly followed the lead and captured the post. Another private, W. Kehoe, at a time of confusion due to enfilading machine-gun fire and the obstacle of wire in front, organized a party of platoon strength, including N.C.O.s, and gave them the correct direction towards the final objective, going in advance with a Lewis-gun—though not a Lewis-gunner himself—and checking every twenty-five or thirty yards to fire a few rounds. In all this hand-to-hand fighting Stokes-gunners, machine-gunners and Lewis-gunners took their share and gained decorations. Sterling courage was shown in bringing up the ammunition across ground swept by hostile machine-guns, and also in collecting ammunition from the wounded. The stretcher-bearers were no less heroic, and their devotion saved many lives.