The history of the 9th (Scottish) Division, 1914-1919

by M.C. John Ewing

BUTTE DE WARLENCOURT

Brig.-General Ritchie’s plan was to attack with the 7th Seaforths, supported by two companies of the Argylls and a section of the 26th L.T.M.B. The former, with two companies in line, each on a two-platoon front, was to advance in four waves. The assault was to be supported by Vickers Guns; one section was to follow the Seaforths, another the Argylls, and a third was to garrison the original front and support lines, the remaining section being in reserve. The arrangements of Brig.-General Lukin were on similar lines. The assault was to be made by the 2nd South African Infantry, supported by the South African Scottish. Each battalion was to form up in four waves, with two waves of carriers. On the afternoon of the 11th, the “Chinese Attack” caused several hostile machine-guns to unmask their positions and these were reported to the artillery.

Both brigades were formed up early in the afternoon of the 12th October, apparently without arousing the enemy’s suspicion. In a drizzle of rain the attack was launched. One minute after zero the enemy[57] replied with a heavy barrage, which cut all the telephone wires and broke off communication between Brigade H.Q. and the assaulting battalions. From that moment obscurity reigned, and for a long time the only reports received by the Division came from the Artillery and the Royal Flying Corps. At the early hour of 2.34 P.M. the former announced that our men had failed to reach the first objective, but a rumour at 3.20 P.M. that some of our men had been seen on the Butte and to the right of it raised hopes that the assailants had overcome their difficulties. Whatever truth there was in that report, it was certain at 8.50 P.M. that the attack on the front both of the Ninth and Thirtieth Divisions had failed, though it was not till later that definite information was received.

At the very start the Seaforths had suffered some casualties by occasional shells from our own guns, which fell into the assembly trenches, and when the barrage became intensive the number of “short” shells increased. The difficulties in the way of artillery observation were immense and as there were many scratches of trenches that were not marked on the map, it was not surprising that during the various actions fought near the Butte the infantry frequently complained that they were being shelled by their own artillery.[58] The first objective lay several hundreds of yards from our front line, and the ground, which rose from our position in a gentle slope, formed a magnificent field of fire for rifles and machine-guns. The leading waves of the Seaforths advanced in perfect order, but they were swept away by a blast of lead. The supporting companies of the Argylls became involved in the disaster and a mixed party of Argylls and Seaforths dug in on a line about 150 yards in front of our original line. The others struggled back to their own trenches in the course of the evening. The new line was held and strengthened, and the front trenches were taken over by the Argylls. The supporting sections from the machine-gun company and the L.T.M.B. were both knocked out by the enemy’s barrage before they could leave the trenches.

A similar series of misfortunes fell to the lot of the South Africans. The attack simply melted away before the enemy’s scathing fire and the South Africans were seriously disorganised. Not until the morning of the 13th was the situation fully cleared up, when it was discovered that a party of 60 with 2 officers had dug in close to Snag Trench. It was impossible to reach this force during daylight, but it was safely withdrawn under cover of darkness on the night of the 13th October.

The attack broke down, because the artillery had failed to demolish the enemy’s trenches and machine-guns; the barrage, though heavy, was inaccurate, as was proved by the air photographs received after the action. The whole operation was a rush, and was carried out in spite of a strong protest by General Furse to the Corps and Army Commanders. Since it was important that we should secure the Bapaume Ridge before winter set in, he urged that a premature attack which ended in failure would waste much more time than would be expended in preparations to insure success, and he suggested that the attack should be postponed for twenty-four or forty-eight hours to give his men the chance of really localising the enemy by reconnaissance, in order that the gunners might have no doubt whatever as to the position of our infantry and that of the enemy.

No further operation on a big scale took place until the 18th October. The intervening period was blessed with good weather, and more advanced positions were dug to form a new starting-point. In front of the South African lines, and on the left of the Snag Trench, was a small mound, called the Pimple, which was believed to be occupied by the enemy, as it appeared to be the key to the trench. Brig.-General Lukin was instructed to send out a strong patrol to seize this point, and on the night of the 13th October a party of the 3rd South African Infantry went out and reconnoitred it. It found the Pimple unoccupied, but returned so late that there was no time before dawn to send out a force to garrison it. However, on the evening of the 14th October, a strong force under Captain L. F. Sprenger, who later was wounded, went out and captured it. No serious endeavour was made to dispute our possession of the Pimple, but when the South Africans moved along from it and attempted to expel the enemy from the junction of Snag and Tail Trenches, which was known as the Nose, they were driven back by machine-gun fire. Later on in the evening the Germans tried in vain to recapture the Pimple, which was further strengthened by being linked up with the South African lines. The position, commanding an admirable view right up to the Butte, formed an ideal place for machine-guns and from it numerous losses were inflicted on enemy working-parties.

Orders for the operation on the 18th October were received from the Corps on the 14th, but the hope of taking the Butte at a stride was abandoned and the objective became the Snag Trench. On the right the attack was to be carried on by the Thirtieth Division. General Furse again entrusted the operation to the 26th and South African Brigades. The Camerons, with four companies in line, each on a platoon front, were to lead the 26th Brigade attack, supported by a company of the 8th Black Watch and a section of the machine-gun company. The Stokes mortars were to co-operate with the artillery in barraging the enemy’s front line. On the left front the leading battalion was the 1st South African Infantry, with three companies in line, each on a platoon front, the fourth being in support, and a company of the 3rd South African Infantry in reserve. The hour of zero was 3.40 A.M.

By this date the fine weather had broken down and the attack began in a deluge of rain. Early information was received from the Camerons that they had reached their objective, but great uncertainty prevailed for a time as to the fate of the South Africans. It soon became known that the left half of their attack had been repulsed, but no news came about the right half. At 9.30 A.M. it was learned that a few men of the right company of the 1st South African Infantry had joined hands with the Camerons, who were in touch with a battalion of the Thirtieth Division on the right. Elsewhere the assault had failed.