It poured with rain all night. The Battalion formed up south of the railway on the line of the forward posts, with the King's Company, under Captain Spence, on the right; No. 4 Company, under Lieutenant Freeman-Greene, on the left; No. 3 Company, under Lieutenant Challands, in support (their position north of the railway being taken over by the Welsh Guards), and No. 2 Company, under Lieutenant Kennaway, in reserve. The King's Company and No. 2 Company were ordered to make good the line of the Bavai—Queve-au-loup road, where Nos. 2 and 3 Companies would advance through them, and secure the last two objectives. The King's and No. 4 Companies were comparatively fresh, as they had had some hours' rest in barns and cellars during the night, but Nos. 2 and 3 Companies were soaked through by the rain, and tired out after a hard day constantly on the move and a night spent in digging in on the outpost line. At 6 A.M. the advance began, and was again most difficult, on account of the enclosed country. The Battalion met no opposition until it reached some high ground, when the leading platoons came under a very heavy machine-gun fire from the far side of the valley, and a harassing fire from field-guns. No. 4 Company was temporarily checked, but the King's Company, under cover of the houses and hedges along the Mecquignies road, seized the crossing over the river, and worked up till it got in touch with a company from the Sixty-second Division on the right. This advance through houses was well carried out, and the Lewis gunners performed wonders in getting their guns into houses. One party of German machine-gunners was shot down in the church tower. No. 3 Company was halted on the road, and No. 2 Company in reserve moved up to the cross-roads at Bavisiaux. The grounds of Mecquignies Château were strongly held by machine-guns, but after a sharp fight the King's Company drove out the enemy and seized the Château. In this fighting Second Lieutenant A. D. Anderson was killed, while gallantly leading his men to the attack. Lieutenant Freeman-Greene, seeing the King's Company advance up the farther slope, at once began to push on with No. 4 Company, and in spite of a hail of machine-gun bullets reached the line of the river with little loss, and gained touch with the left of the King's Company. After this the fighting became very promiscuous, and platoons became scattered among the orchards and fields of the Château. Touch was established with the Welsh Guards, who had been temporarily checked in Buvigny, and who were now moving on, and the enemy seemed to be retiring all along the line. Lieut.-Colonel Bailey was ordered to push on and try and seize the line on the Bavai road before night, and he accordingly moved up No. 2 Company to the Château grounds. The King's and No. 4 Companies had in the meantime made good the high ground north of the Château, driving out some advanced posts of the enemy. No. 3 Company was ordered to move through Mecquignies village and to seize the orchards north-east of the village. This it succeeded in doing, meeting with little opposition. The King's and No. 4 Companies at once prolonged the line to the left, and pushed out patrols to the east. This line was consolidated, and as the night was very dark no farther advance was considered advisable.

The 466th German Regiment which opposed the advance fought extremely well, and was cleverly handled by its commander, who thoroughly understood how to fight a rear-guard action. The wet weather and the mud made these operations peculiarly trying to men who had had little training in close country fighting, but the discipline in the Battalion was so good that each platoon, however isolated, could be relied on to act intelligently. The scenes in the various villages were most touching, for the civilians who emerged from cellars and underground dug-outs all acclaimed the men as their deliverers, and were highly excited in their joy.

Nov. 7.

Early on the 7th the 1st Battalion Scots Guards advanced through the Battalion, which was withdrawn to Amfroipret. Lieut.-Colonel Bailey issued the following message to the Company Commanders:

Please let all ranks know that I consider the advance on the 5th and 6th to have been carried out excellently in spite of very heavy going and the difficulties of keeping direction. On the 5th Nos. 2 and 3 Companies, though they had little fighting, had a thoroughly miserable and uncomfortable time, which as usual was borne with the greatest cheerfulness. The King's Company and No. 4 Company were better off, as they got a few hours' rest under cover.

On the 6th, in spite of very heavy machine-gun fire from front and flank and most difficult country, the King's Company and No. 4 pushed ahead and drove in the rear troops of the enemy, thus making good the passage of the river Du Moulin de Bavai. The greatest credit is due not only to the fine fighting powers of the men but also to the good leading and forethought of the leaders.

The two days' fighting were unsatisfactory as far as the killing of Germans was concerned, and the conditions miserable from the start to finish, but the Battalion, as always, went quicker and farther than any other Battalion in the Brigade, and the distance you went undoubtedly helped the 24th Division by threatening the communications of the enemy, holding the ground north-west of Bavai, and causing them to retire. You have well kept up the traditions of the Regiment and maintained the Grenadier spirit—the most magnificent in the world. I congratulate officers, non-commissioned officers, and men, and I know that you will never fail.

W. R. Bailey, Lieut.-Colonel,

Commanding 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards.

On the 9th the Battalion marched to La Longueville, and the 1st Guards Brigade entered Maubeuge. On the following day it reached Douzies, where the news arrived that the Armistice had been signed. On the morning of the 11th the Battalion paraded, and the Commanding Officer read out the official telegram declaring the Armistice to be in force.

Operations

November 1-11, 1918

Emery Walker Ltd.