During the severe fighting experienced by the Newfoundlanders one of their number won the V.C. Early in the push, when the attack was temporarily checked by the fire of a German battery at point-blank range, Private T. Ricketts went forward with his section commander and a Lewis Gun, with a view to outflanking the battery; but when they were still 300 yards away from the enemy they ran short of ammunition, and the Germans, hoping to save their guns, brought up the teams. Thereupon Private Ricketts darted back under a fierce fire from machine-guns with the battery, procured more ammunition, and returned at the double to the Lewis Gun, which he fired with such accuracy that the Germans with their gun teams were compelled to take refuge in a farm. The rest of the platoon was now able to press on without casualties, and 4 field-guns, 4 machine-guns, and 8 prisoners were taken. Subsequently a fifth field-gun was intercepted by our fire and captured.
The artillery supported the infantry with magnificent dash, and Brig.-General Wainwright must have been very proud of the work accomplished by his gunners. Our batteries going into action presented the most sensational and picturesque spectacle of the advance, and introduced into the war a tinge of the glamour and romance that seemed for ever to have departed from it. Tearing along at full gallop, C/50 Battery under Major Hoggart plunged almost into the infantry firing-line, quickly unlimbered and at 800 yards’ range turned its guns against the foe in Steenbeek with a rapidity and precision that amazed and thrilled the infantry. The disgruntled Germans bringing up a field-gun had the great fortune to wipe out one team. A/50 Battery, coming up in gallant style, joined C/50 and their combined fire forced the enemy out of the village, but owing to the low trajectory our guns could not touch him in his cleverly chosen position at the eastern edge of Laaga Cappelle Wood. Two batteries of the 51st Brigade dashed over the ridge just in rear of our infantry, but were unable to come into action because of the hostile shelling of Steenen Stampkot.
By 3 P.M. the 27th Brigade was concentrated behind the ridge west of Steenen Stampkot, and the 12th Royal Scots were sent forward to support the 28th; but since it was clear that the Germans were occupying in force a naturally strong position, and that nothing but a properly organised assault was likely to succeed, it was decided to postpone the attack until next day, when the troops would be fresher and more artillery ammunition available. In the evening, the 28th Brigade took over a part of the line held by the 26th, thus making a front of 1200 yards, while the Highlanders continued to hold the remaining 300 and fully 700 yards of line in Belgian territory. The Third Belgian Division, under General Joostens, on our left had fought with admirable courage and élan, and at the end of the day had its right ahead of our left. Ever since the 28th September the co-operation with King Albert’s army had been excellent, and the Ninth never desired on its flanks better troops than the Belgians proved themselves to be.
Every preparation was now made for the renewal of the attack. The 28th Brigade A.F.A., which was again attached to the Division, joined the 50th and 51st Brigades in the line, and two 60-pounder batteries and three sections of 6-inch howitzers came into position. “B” and “C” Companies of the Ninth Machine-Gun Battalion took up barrage positions on the ridge south-west of Steenen Stampkot. Zero was arranged for 9 A.M., because it was impossible to bring up an adequate supply of ammunition before that hour and it was essential that the men should have a good night’s rest. The objective was the same as on the previous day, and after its capture the Division was to exploit towards the Lys. The operation was to be carried out by the 11th and 12th Royal Scots, who were to pass through the two brigades in the line.
Punctually at 9 A.M. on the 15th the 11th Royal Scots advanced at the double under a smoke-screen against Hill 40 to the north, but owing to the exact position of our forward posts being uncertain the barrage was placed beyond this hill. The comparatively late hour of attack and the wonderfully heavy barrage which the artillery and machine-guns were able to provide, took the enemy unawares. Nevertheless the 11th Royal Scots suffered an unexpected jar at the start; raking machine-gun fire was opened on them from the hill behind Laaga Cappelle Wood. But the assailants, adroitly and boldly led, after clearing the wood, advanced towards Hill 40. The slight delay gave two machine-gun groups on the Hill time to prepare, and their fire drove the Royal Scots to earth. At this juncture Corporal Elcock, valiantly braving death, rushed forward with a Lewis Gun and killed the two men manning one of the guns, then diving into their shelter he turned his gun against the other group and knocked it out. A V.C. was awarded for this heroic and timely feat, which allowed the whole line to press on and capture the Hill. On the heels of the 11th followed Lieut.-Colonel Murray with the 12th Royal Scots who, after passing the wood, swung south and ejected the enemy from Steenbeek village and Hill 40 to the south.
The line was then reformed under cover of a protective barrage put down by our guns on Heule Wood and Gemeenhof. Resuming the pursuit, the 12th Royal Scots mopped up the enemy posts in Heule Wood and reached the Snephoek-Heule road, where a slight pause was made until touch was obtained with the divisions on the wings, both of which were making good progress. By 11.30 A.M. the Royal Scot battalions had won the objective on the Heule-Ingelmunster Railway, all opposition from trench mortars and machine-guns having been overcome by the infantry with the assistance of our forward guns. For a short time our men on the Railway were harried by two hostile field-guns, but Captain Brock of the 12th Royal Scots after a fine piece of stalking shot the crews and captured the guns.
Behind the 27th Brigade came the 1/1st Yorks Cyclists, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Thomson, and the 11th Motor Machine-Gun Battery; under the orders of Brig.-General Croft they now passed through the infantry. The cyclists displayed extraordinary pluck and daring, and their close pursuit prevented all chance of German reorganisation. One company stormed Stokerij and then pushed on to the Chapel north of Abeelhoek, where it was finally stopped by machine-gun fire from the ridge between Abeelhoek and the Lys. Other cyclists, after occupying Le Chat, dashed into Cuerne about 2.45 P.M., just as the Germans were hurriedly evacuating it. There were several skirmishes, and amongst the victims were two Uhlan officers. Making for the river, the cyclists came under heavy machine-gun fire from the east bank of the Lys, and took up positions covering the southern and eastern outskirts of Cuerne. A stream of hostile transport was moving in panic haste along the Courtrai-Harlebeke road, and the cyclists and the men of the motor machine-gun battery enjoyed effective shooting at targets it was almost impossible to miss.
The infantry followed the more mobile groups. A short distance from the Railway the 27th Brigade had some trouble on the left, because our immediate neighbours, the Third Belgian Division, did not advance at first beyond the objective, as Ingelmunster farther north had been retaken by a German counter-attack. Consequently the 11th Royal Scots were enfiladed from Heetje, and were obliged to attack the village. It was captured only after a severe fight, and the Royal Scots were so far delayed that they did not reach the ridge between Abeelhoek and the Lys till dusk. Their attempt to storm this position was unsuccessful, but the Germans withdrew in the course of the night. Eventually Heetje was taken over from the 27th Brigade by the Third Belgian Division, whose left wing was thrown back to the Railway. The aggressiveness of the enemy near Ingelmunster seemed to point to a counter-attack from the north-east, so the 28th Brigade, which had advanced to Cappelle St Catherine was ordered to be ready to protect our left wing. The situation on this flank improved greatly during the night, when the Belgians, pressing on, seized Bavichove and Hulste.
On our right there was not the same anxiety, and the 12th Royal Scots and 6th K.O.S.B. moved steadily forward, the leading troops of the former entering Cuerne between 3 and 4 P.M., and the latter relieving the cyclists about 6.30 P.M. Cuerne was not in the Ninth area, but the Twenty-ninth Division had tough work to clear Heule, and was slightly in rear. It was known to be moving forward, but the Ninth was prevented from securing the crossings over the river that day by the fact that until after dark the situation on our left was unsatisfactory and on our right uncertain. The 6th K.O.S.B. and the 11th Royal Scots held the divisional front during the night.
From the hour in which Ledeghem was captured, every village disgorged a number of Belgian civilians, and Cuerne was filled with them. They were warned that it was dangerous to remain, but stating that the Germans had promised not to shell Cuerne, the great majority of them refused to leave their abodes. During the night the village was heavily gas-shelled by the enemy, and the sufferings of many of these poor people must have been dreadful. Posts were pushed close to the river after dark, but all the bridges had been destroyed by the enemy.