From Hulluch the ⅙th Battalion moved at once into quite a new type of country, for in the middle of July the Craven men found themselves encamped on the sandy dunes east of Dunkirk on the Channel Coast. Originally sent north to take part in a contemplated attack, they found on arrival that the situation had entirely changed. The Germans had clearly got wind of the affair, and, concentrating much heavy artillery and an unexpected division of sailors, had broken through the British lines, reaching the banks of the Yser from its mouth nearly to Nieuport and seriously threatening the important crossings about that town. To the 49th Division once again fell the rôle of Salvation Army and they threw themselves vigorously into their work, relieving the battered troops in front, straightening out the line and remaking the defences. The sector taken over by the ⅙th Duke’s was the ruined village of Lombaertzyde, immediately in front of Nieuport. Of trench system in the ordinary sense of the term they found none, and sheltered solely by hollows in the shifting sand they had to face continual bombardment. Here the ⅙th first made the acquaintance of shells filled with mustard gas, which caused most painful blisters to many of the men. To reach the front line was a matter of great danger and difficulty. The direct route, through the town of Nieuport, was always heavily shelled, and the three bridges across the river Yser were continually knocked in. Apart from the shelling these bridges were something of an obstacle. Formed of wooden frames filled with cork and lashed together they sagged greatly at low tide and the roadway stood at an alarming angle to the bank. Many gallant deeds were performed by the 49th Division during their stay, but none was more dashing and dangerous than the raid carried out by the ⅙th Duke’s on a pitch dark August night. Since the German attack no prisoners had been taken, and the higher command was anxious to know what forces the enemy had in the line against us. In this object the raid was a complete success. Led by that amiable desperado, Capt. Godfrey Buxton, a strong party of D company entered the enemy’s trenches. When the alarm was given the Germans laid down a terrific barrage on our lines and the ground in front, and there was general anxiety as to the safety of the raiders. Their return shortly after with five prisoners and a machine gun aroused great enthusiasm. In this raid Capt. Buxton, Corporal Driver and Private Bibby particularly distinguished themselves.
On August 17th the battalion was withdrawn for a very welcome month’s rest at Coxyde Bains and La Panne, two watering-places much favoured by wealthy Belgians in time of peace. At Coxyde Bains the men were quartered in empty villas and thoroughly enjoyed the experience; and the sea bathing was much appreciated, in spite of numerous casualties from small stinging jelly fish. The enormous shells of “Big Bertha,” the German long range gun, used to hum past on their way to Dunkirk, and their bombing planes sailed overhead most nights, but neither interfered seriously with the seaside holiday.
Here the Battalion lost the very valuable services of Regt. Sergt.-Major O. Buckley, M.C., who received a commission as quarter-master of the ⅐th Duke’s. He was succeeded by Coy. Sergt.-Major T. Richardson, D.C.M., who had come out as a sergt. with the battalion.
PASSCHENDAELE.
Leaving La Panne on Sept. 23rd, 1917, the battalion spent the next ten days in a most enjoyable march. Trekking by easy stages through rich agricultural country in perfect harvest weather, the men usually found good billets and good fare. St. Omer was passed on the 30th and on Oct. 3rd the battalion found itself once more near Poperinghe on the threshold of the Salient. The following day the battalion set off for the line and had a long and trying march. Moving from Poperinghe to Vlamertinghe in the morning, later in the day they again pushed on across the Canal and bivouacked at what had once been Spree farm, where the road came to an end in swamps that could only be crossed on duckboards. Next day they took over the line north of Zonnebeke from the New Zealanders.
The advance associated with the name of Passchendaele had been begun most successfully in July and August, when British troops under Major-General Rawlinson, with Belgians on their left, had attacked from the old trenches by the Yser canal and gained possession of the lower spurs in front of them. To complete the mastery of the topmost ridge the attack was continued through the autumn, when rain had turned the whole country into swamp. How far this perseverance and the enormous loss of life it entailed were justified by the military exigencies it must be left to later historians to decide, but certainly the conditions of the front line were not fully realised by commanders behind.
The high ground that separates Ypres from the main plain of Belgium resembles an enormous sponge. Even in hot summer weather bogs and ponds are found upon its summit, while numerous swampy streamlets wander down its sides. In October many stretches were impassable except by wooden tracks laid on brushwood which were only constructed with the greatest danger and difficulty. Bombarded for three and a half long years, over all this huge area the shell-craters nearly touched each other. Whole villages were entirely wiped out; of fine chateaux not a trace remained; roads were completely obliterated; and wide woodlands were only marked by misshapen stumps two or three feet high. With the enemy on higher ground, all preparations and movements of troops for an attack had to be made in the darkness, and a single false step off the prepared track meant loss of life or guns or rations.
Right in the centre of this desolation the ⅙th held the line for six days, soaked with rain, standing in water and suffering all kinds of discomfort, yet only two men went sick. A great attack had been planned for October 9th in which the ⅙th Batt. was to support the 146th (West Yorks.) Brigade. Late in the night a battery commander arrived at the battalion headquarters dead beat. Moving at all possible speed he had only just reached his position and half his guns had been bogged on the way; and many infantry battalions, picking their way through bottomless swamps in the dark, were quite unable to reach their jumping-off lines at the allotted time. Under such circumstances a sweeping success was impossible; many gallant deeds were done, a few pill-boxes were taken, and a party under Captain Buxton, M.C., seized and held some valuable ground; but it is doubtful if the results of the day were worth the very heavy price. The ⅙th was relieved by the Canadians the following day, and on coming out was highly congratulated by the Army and Corps commanders on the part it had played. Whatever may be the military verdict on the Passchendaele battle, it is certain that no other incident in the war tested so thoroughly the grit and fighting qualities of the British soldier and no victories were won in the face of greater difficulties; the ⅙th Duke of Wellington’s is justly proud of having taken a worthy part in this struggle.
The battalion went out for a short rest in the neighbourhood of Winnezeele and during this period Major-General E. M. Perceval, C.B., D.S.O., relinquished the command of the Division, which he had held for over three years and returned home to command the 68th Division on the East Coast. He was succeeded by Major-General N. J. G. Cameron, C.B., D.S.O., of the Cameron Highlanders. General Perceval had been very popular throughout the Division, but like General Baldock before him he was a gunner, and the infantry thought it only fair that an infantryman had now been selected for the command.
A fortnight later the battalion returned to the very tip of the salient. This time its line lay more to the south where the summit ridge had already been captured: and from their trenches at Broodseinde could look far down into the Belgian plain. The approaches again were very difficult and the men had to lay some miles of duckboards in the deep mud before they could be said to possess any communications at all. Soon after going in, the battalion lost a very promising young officer in 2nd Lieut. Rupert Atkinson, of Settle.