Something must also be said of the 6th Battalion which, as has already been stated, now included many officers and men from the 7th Battalion. The amalgamation was carried out most satisfactorily. The C.O. addressed both units separately, and made a special appeal to both officers and men not to discuss and compare the merits and doings in the past of the two Battalions which were now united, but to remember that they all belonged to the same famous regiment, and that it was up to them to pull together, and so maintain the high name which both Battalions had already created. Everyone backed him up most willingly, the result being that there was not a single instance of crime arising from disputes between the men of the different Battalions. This is all the more creditable when it is remembered that there was considerable unpleasantness in some of the other units which were amalgamated.
CHAPTER 9.
BUZANCY.
The 6th Battalion remained in the Arras sector till the beginning of July, when we were at last taken out of the line. We moved back, and it was believed that we were going to have that long rest which we so much deserved, and to which we had been looking forward ever since we arrived in France. We had been in the fighting area practically since the end of the previous year, a period of about seven months, which included heavy fighting. We were certain that we were in for a long rest when we entrained. We steamed off south, and our hopes became still higher as the report got about that we were going to one of the big French training areas in the south of France. We heard it was an ideal spot, and a health resort even before the war. However, after steaming some distance past Amiens, the train suddenly stopped, and we were ordered to get out and proceed to billets. Our faith began to be shaken in the gentleman who talked about the seaside in the south. It was still more shaken the next day when the Battalions were embussed and proceeded in the direction of the front line.
On the 18th of July we found ourselves under the command of the 3rd French Army. On the 19th we moved into the Montigny area, and on the 23rd we relieved the first American Division and held the left sector of the 20th Corps. We took over the line on the night of the 22/23rd, and received orders that we were to attack the next morning (23rd) on the high ground on the west bank of the Criscuart at Misse. The C.O. hurried forward in the afternoon, and had a look round the line. The Americans had suffered heavy casualties, and the ground was strewn with their dead. The Battalion came in that evening, and the relief was carried out without much difficulty. There was some confusion as to the exact location of our front line, which apparently did not tally with that shewn by the maps taken over. However, there was no time to make even a preliminary reconnaissance. The zero hour was fixed for 5 a.m. The C.O. and Adjutant moved back to Brigade Headquarters, as up to midnight no orders had been received for the attack. The C.O.'s of the other units of the Brigade were also there. The operation orders did not come in till about 3 a.m. There was just time to issue the Battalion operation orders, but it was quite impossible to instruct Company officers or others in person.
The attack commenced at 5 a.m. with the 6th Camerons on the right, the Argylls on the left, and the Royal Scots in support. Everything went well to begin with, although we came under very heavy machine gun fire. Our barrage did not prove of much use, as the official front line given to us was found to be considerably in advance of that actually held. We advanced a considerable distance and took a sugar factory. We had suffered severe casualties in consequence of the barrage, leaving some German machine guns untouched. The attack took place down a steep bluff, then across the valley (which was intersected by a railway embankment), and the river, and up steep rising ground on the other side. We managed to get forward fairly well, although encountering strong opposition from the enemy. We took the railway embankment and river, including "Sucrerie." Our left flank, however, was in the air by this time, as we could not get into touch with the Argylls on our left. We extended in order to try and link up with them, but finally discovered they had come under heavy fire and had not been able to advance. The result was that for a time we had practically held the whole brigade front. About 6 p.m. the enemy put down a heavy barrage and launched a strong counter-attack, but this was successfully repulsed. We were to have attacked the village of Buzancy on the morning of the 24th, but this was postponed.
Owing to the pronounced salient held by the Division at the "Sucrerie," it was decided to withdraw and occupy the line of the railway. The fighting was of an open order nature, through fields of grain and small woods, with machine guns firing from behind hedges instead of out of the usual trenches. On the 27th we received orders for the Division to make an attack on Buzancy and the high ground to the east of the village. The fighting was again severe, and ended with our taking Buzancy. There was exceedingly bitter fighting round the grenade works, and the enemy put up very strong counter-attacks. Owing to the non-success of the 87th French Division on our right, we had finally to withdraw to the line of the Chateau.
On the 30th or the 31st July it was decided that the 45th Brigade would attack the main Soissons road from Villemontoire. About 10.45 a.m. we had more or less reached our objectives, although the others had been slightly held up by heavy machine gun fire. Our right flank was now in the air, as we could not get into touch with the K.O.S.B.'s. Meantime we formed a defensive flank along the road from the cemetery to the Soissons road. The S.O.S. went up from the 12th Division about 2.45 p.m. and also from the original front line. A pitiless machine gun fire was experienced from the wooded hills on the right. Evidently the Germans had raided the 12th Division's lines, and we heard later that they had taken some prisoners. About 10.35 a.m. on the 2nd August strong patrols which had pushed out found that the enemy was retiring, and we got orders to swing our right forward so as to keep in touch with the 44th Brigade. About 3.30 p.m. the Brigade reached the edge of the Concrois wood. At 7.50 the next objective was given as the river Crise about Nilleblain. On the night of the 2/3rd we were relieved by the 17th (French) Division, and on the 4th we embussed for Leincourt.
So came to an end our tour with the French and American Armies. The following is an interesting memo, issued by the First Field Artillery Brigade of the American Expeditionary Force to the batteries of the Brigade, and also special orders issued by the French Army Commanding Officers:—