The boundary question had obtruded itself in a fashion that could not be neglected. At all costs the breach between the armies had to be filled if Ludendorff’s plans were to be thwarted. The first step of G.H.Q. was to transfer all the troops north of the Somme from the Fifth to the Third Army; in other words, the smaller army holding the longer stretch of front had to provide reinforcements for the stronger force with the shorter front. Nothing can illustrate more clearly than this the absurdity of the story, once widely circulated and even yet largely credited, that the Third Army would have had no need to retire at all had it not been for the retreat of the Fifth. The territory of the latter army was not curtailed in compensation for the loss of these troops. If the Third Army had been able to keep to its southern boundary, General Gough could have assisted the hard-pressed XIX. Corps in the south with units of the VII. Corps.
In accordance with this arrangement the Ninth along with the rest of the VII. Corps now came under the Third Army. The boundary between the V. and VII. Corps was fixed as follows: the Railway south of Montauban, thence along the road Montauban-Mametz-Le Carcaillot, all inclusive to the former.
These measures did not and could not fill the gap, but it was expected that if the V. and VII. Corps were put under the same Army Commander, he would succeed in securing better co-operation.
Early on the 25th the Lowland Brigade was relieved by the 106th Brigade, 35th Division, and assembled at Talus Boise, whence it marched to Etinehem to rest and reorganise. After daybreak the 26th Brigade occupied a position on the south-west of Montauban to protect the left flank of the cavalry. On the withdrawal of the Lowlanders the line was held by the 18th H.L.I. and the 9th Provisional Battalion, along the western edge of Favière Wood to the southern margin of Bernafay Wood, where the 106th Brigade was connected with the cavalry near Montauban. The 12th H.L.I. were on outpost from the north of Hardecourt to the south of Trones Wood. On the right the Thirty-fifth Division, to which the Ninth was now attached, held from Hardecourt to Curlu, its H.Q. being at Bray.
The transference of the VII. Corps to the Third Army maintained liaison between General Gough and General Byng, but there was still an awkward opening between the VII. and V. Corps. In the morning of the 25th the enemy launched repeated attacks against the Ninth’s front, and a resolute effort was made to turn its left flank, Bernafay Wood being lost and recaptured in the course of the fighting. By 10 A.M. the reserve consisted of only two companies, and still no connection had been established on the left with the Seventeenth Division, which was said to be moving in on the right of the V. Corps. A welcome reinforcement, a battalion of the 104th Brigade, arrived and was sent to strengthen the 106th Brigade.
At 1 P.M. the VII. Corps reported that the Seventeenth Division was holding a line from north of Bernafay Wood to a point 700 yards south-east of Bazentin-le-Grand, and that two of its brigades were reorganising east of Fricourt, but attempts to establish touch were still fruitless. Shortly afterwards, however, information was received that the Twelfth Division had been commanded by the VII. Corps to move as rapidly as possible to the line Montauban-Bazentin, and to link up with the Seventeenth Division.
About 2 P.M. the Germans in great strength debouched from Ginchy and moved against Trones Wood, and though our gunners swept their ranks with accurate and withering fire, they drove the 12th and 18th H.L.I. back to the line of the road running from west of Maricourt Wood to the Briqueterie south-west of Bernafay Wood. By a fine counter-attack men of the D.L.I., 106th Brigade, regained Favière Wood. More reinforcements came up, consisting of tired fragments of the Twenty-first Division, and at 4 P.M. one battalion was ordered to join the 104th Brigade at Maricourt and the other two the 106th. Still the enemy continued his onslaughts, but though he gained a footing in the Briqueterie south-west of Bernafay Wood he was summarily ejected.
Until about 6 P.M. there was comparative quietness, but after that hour frequent reports were received that hostile infantry had been seen north of Montauban, and even as far west as Mametz Wood. In the evening a withdrawal to the line of the Bray-Albert road was ordered by the VII. Corps, the retirement to be covered by rearguards, which were to maintain their position until 2 A.M., while the retirement of the artillery was to be accomplished gradually, harassing fire being kept up all night to conceal the retreat, and to prevent as long as possible any noticeable diminution in the volume of fire. The new front of the Ninth extended from east of Meaulte to Albert, and the 27th Brigade was instructed to occupy it at once. This was a most fatiguing day for the 26th Brigade. After fighting continuously all day the men trekked to Etinehem, just in time to receive orders to march by night on a compass-bearing to Dernancourt. The South Africans, now formed into one battalion, moved to Ribemont sur L’Ancre. The last battery did not retire until 3.30 A.M. on the 26th.
After a night march the Lowland Brigade garrisoned the Ninth’s sector with the 11th and 12th Royal Scots in line, the 9th Seaforths in support, and the K.O.S.B. in reserve. The dispositions had scarcely been completed when the vanguards of the Germans approached from Fricourt, but were checked by our outposts. At 1 P.M. an attack in force was delivered against the right of the line, a hostile battery coming into action on a ridge in front of it. The assault withered away before the careful, well-controlled fire of the 12th Royal Scots, and the enemy’s battery was quickly compelled to withdraw. The co-operation between our artillery and infantry was wonderfully good, and the Germans in Becourt Valley, where an attempt to concentrate was crushed by our fire, suffered innumerable losses. This repulse quietened the enemy on our front, but farther south where troops had retired he gained the high ground between our right flank and Bray, and brought up machine-guns, with which he enfiladed our line. To meet this danger Brig.-General Croft formed a defensive flank with the 9th Seaforths, but no sooner was this wing guarded than the left was jeopardised by the retreat of the Twelfth Division across the Ancre during the afternoon. This made it necessary for the 27th Brigade to conform, and the retirement over the river was carried out in perfect manner, although the 12th Royal Scots lost heavily in passing through Meaulte.
Meanwhile the 26th Brigade, with the South African composite battalion attached, after a few hours’ rest occupied about 1 P.M. a position behind the Ancre between Dernancourt and Moulin du Vivier, the South Africans holding the former, still apparently a thriving village. The 9th Machine-gun Battalion, which had been withdrawn during the night of the 25th/26th to Mericourt L’Abbé, where it was reorganised into two groups with 10 guns each, covered our line west of the Ancre. After crossing the river, the Lowland Brigade was posted along the line of the Railway between the left of the 26th Brigade and the Albert-Amiens road, where it was in close touch with the Twelfth Division. The enemy on noticing our retirement advanced towards the river in considerable force, but was caught by our barrage when moving down the slopes, and the few who succeeded in crossing were easily dealt with.