The next night the Buffs, with the Northumberland Fusiliers, Cheshire Regiment and 1st Battalion York and Lancasters were formed into a temporary composite brigade under Br.-General Bols, and told to be in readiness to move at a moment’s notice, but on the 19th the 85th Brigade took over this duty from Bols’ men, the Buffs having in the interval received a large draft of 5 officers and 350 men.
On the 20th the Commander-in-Chief, Sir John French, made a speech to the 85th Brigade, as well as to others, of which the following is an extract:—
“I came over to say a few words to you and to tell you how much I, as Commander-in-Chief of this Army, appreciate the splendid work that you have all done during the recent fighting. You have fought the Second Battle of Ypres, which will rank amongst the most desperate and hardest fights of the war. You may have thought because you were not attacking the enemy that you were not helping to shorten the war. On the contrary, by your splendid endurance and bravery, you have done a great deal to shorten it. In this, the Second Battle of Ypres, the Germans tried by every means in their power to get possession of that unfortunate town. They concentrated large forces of troops and artillery, and further than that they had recourse to that mean and dastardly practice, hitherto unheard of in civilized warfare, namely, the use of asphyxiating gases. You have performed the most difficult, arduous and terrific task of withstanding a stupendous bombardment by heavy artillery, probably the fiercest artillery fire ever directed against troops, and warded off the enemy’s attacks with magnificent bravery. By your steadiness and devotion, both the German plans were frustrated. He was unable to get possession of Ypres—if he had done this he would probably have succeeded in preventing neutral Powers from intervening—and he was also unable to distract us from delivering our attack in conjunction with the French in the Arras-Armentieres district. Had you failed to repulse his attacks, and made it necessary for more troops to be sent to your assistance, our operations in the south might not have been able to take place, and would certainly not have been so successful as they have been. Your Colours have many famous names emblazoned on them, but none will be more famous or more well-deserved than that of the Second Battle of Ypres. I want you one and all to understand how thoroughly I realize and appreciate what you have done. I wish to thank you, each officer, non-commissioned officer and man, for the services you have rendered by doing your duty so magnificently, and I am sure that your Country will thank you too.”
At 2.45 a.m. on the 24th May the Germans attacked as a final effort the whole front from Wieltje to the Menin road. This began with gas for four and a half hours and a very heavy bombardment with gas shells, combined with “Flammenwerfen,” a terrible implement for ejecting liquid fire, new at this time. Then the enemy advanced in very heavy masses and gained the snipers’ line, but was repulsed in each attempt to get further. Two companies of the 8th Middlesex and one company East Surrey immediately north of the railway gave way in consequence of the gas. There was cavalry on the right of the 85th Brigade and these were at the same time heavily attacked, so that the O.C. Buffs, which was the right battalion of the G.H.Q. line, was asked for help. The message came at 4.30 a.m. and was from Captain Court, 9th Lancers, who said that his men were “on their knees,” but holding out. Captain Barnard with A Company followed by half of C, under Lieut. Swayne, at once started for the rescue to reinforce the trenches north and south of the Menin road, and thus on this day the Buffs fought in two separate parties. At 6.30 orders came to reinforce the 3rd Royal Fusiliers, who meant to retake their lost trench, and B Company, with the remaining half of C, went up, leaving for the present D Company in the G.H.Q. line. Directly it left the reserve line this party came under very heavy shell fire and lost badly. Major Johnstone of the Fusiliers, however, organized his counter-stroke, but it was beaten off, he himself being wounded, Lieut. D. W. Hammond of the Buffs killed and many men of both regiments lost.
The enemy appeared to be in great strength, so the remainder of the Buffs was ordered up to assist the Royal Fusiliers at a level crossing on the railway, but all this time the enemy’s shell fire was terrific and the crossing became merely a death-trap. However, about 1 p.m. D Company issued from the G.H.Q. lines and tried to come on, though it was almost an impossibility. It was a terrible undertaking and only about thirty men, under 2nd Lieut. Mantle, managed the journey. The situation was most critical as the enemy were working round the right. About 5 p.m. a counter-attack by the 84th Brigade, though held up, relieved matters somewhat. At nightfall the attack was continued by 84th and 80th Brigades, but was not successful owing to the terrific rifle and machine-gun fire directed upon it by the enemy. There were many casualties. Numbers of Cheshire, Welsh, K.S.L.I. and other regiments retired into the road cutting held by the Buffs and 3rd Royal Fusiliers.
Referring to the other party of the battalion which, under Captain Barnard, had been sent to assist the cavalry who were holding their own so well, the following extract from the official diary describes its adventures:—
“Captain Barnard having received orders to reinforce the 9th Lancers, moved east along the Menin road under shrapnel fire, meeting on the way scores of gassed and wounded men retiring from trenches north of the Menin-Ypres road. Eventually about 150 men of A Company filed into the Hooge trenches, the occupants of which were suffering badly from the gas—especially the officers. Besides the 9th Lancers, there were portions of the 18th Hussars, 4th Yorkshires, York and Lancasters and 5th D.L.I. Captain Grenfell, V.C., 9th Lancers, was in command. A Company spread all along the five hundred yards of trenches. The enemy were found to be enveloping our left or north flank and had pushed on one thousand yards west of it. A Company then swung round and formed a new firing line facing north to meet the new menace.”
For three days, until the night of the 26th to 27th, the company maintained its position and accounted for several of the enemy. The men were subjected to continuous fire from the enemy’s artillery, snipers and large trench mortars. It was a case of digging in all day and night. Some of the trenches were knee deep in water. No rations were received for two days and the company was in great difficulties, and a trying situation for the whole period up to the night of 26th/27th, when it was relieved and moved back to G.H.Q. line. The 25th of the month was devoted to the collection and reorganization of what was left of B, C and D Companies under difficulties owing to the many stragglers from other corps. The enemy fortunately slackened his fierce attacks and at nightfall many wounded were collected, and after a couple of comparatively quiet days in the trenches the battalion marched back to billets east of Poperinghe.
After the narration of such terrible scenes as have been described it is pleasant to record a happy social event which, though a civilian reader may possibly regard it as of trivial importance, bears a very different aspect in the eyes of the English soldier. In all or nearly all foreign armies the battalions of a regiment are parts of the same tactical unit, but this does not obtain in our Army. The nature of our military duties causes the necessity of one battalion being abroad while the other remains at home, and it is almost unheard of that two battalions should serve together. There are old and retired Buffs who remember the meeting of the 1st and 2nd Battalions at Singapore about the year 1885. The occasion was celebrated then in what might now be considered almost too jovial a manner, but its rare occurrence made it very memorable. Again, after the Boer War when the 2nd Battalion, recently home from South Africa, was quartered in Dover, the 1st, back from Aden, was sent there also. These meetings are still remembered by the survivors of those who served in 1885 and 1904. On the 2nd June, then, in the midst of a tremendous war, it so happening that both the old units were resting at the same time and near the same place, the 2nd Battalion made a route march to Wittenhoek to visit its sister battalion which was in bivouac there. It was an historical event as far as the old regiment was concerned, though, alas, the two portions of it were not the same men that wore the Dragon on their collars a year before. Still, there were certain old friendships to renew and the Buffs were still the Buffs after all.