SCENE ON THE ANCRE
III. 7th Battalion—continued
The next important general action in which the regiment was engaged was the Battle of Arras, which commenced on the 9th April, 1917, and in which it was represented by its 6th Battalion. The story of the 1st, 6th, 7th and 8th up to that date is consequently not so full of incident as some other periods, though casualties continued to occur. For the purposes of continuity, however, it will be as well to consider a brief account of the doings of each, remembering that Haig had decreed that the enemy was to have no rest prior to our spring offensive, which offensive commenced with the said Battle of Arras. Regular and continuous training for this offensive was, however, to be the key-note for the winter work of our people. As regards the 7th Battalion a rest was imperative; it was weak in numbers and much war worn, and so it, with its brigade, moved away westwards, at first by bus to Hartonville and then by march route to Candas Beaumetz and Marcheville, which latter village it reached on the 27th December and where it remained till the 14th January, 1917, receiving seven new 2nd lieutenants and a draft of no less than 315 men. On the latter date the unit moved to Hautevillers. About six weeks were very well spent in training and refitting in this, the Abbeville district, and the good work done at this time, together with the arrival of excellent drafts and several capable officers, resulted in the reproduction of a very fine battalion. It was on the 11th January that the brigade began moving towards Albert again, billeting in the wayside villages each night, reaching Hedauville, which is about three miles north-west of Albert, on the 16th and remaining there for nearly a month, which was mostly employed in road-making.
On the night of the 11th February the 55th Brigade relieved the 54th in the trenches near Martinsart and for a few days were near Mouquet Farm and the Zollern trench again. 2nd Lieut. Butler was wounded on the 22nd February.
Although the winter was supposed to be mainly a preparation for a spring campaign, both the enemy and our people had been fairly busy ever since the close of the Somme fighting. The Germans, who still held three lines of defence about the Ancre river, had been busy establishing a strong fortified position called the Hindenburg Line, which, starting from the old lines near Arras, ran south-eastward for twelve miles to Queant and from there west of Cambrai towards St. Quentin; and this line was connected up with various switches. By means of continuous offensive work our armies had gradually gained certain positions about Grandcourt, and the spur which runs northward from Courcelette towards Miraumont, which gave complete command over the enemy’s artillery in the upper valley of the Ancre and his defences about Pys and Miraumont.
On the 23rd February the 7th Buffs took over the advanced line from the 7th Royal West Kent, C Company being on the right front with D on the left; A right support, B left support; headquarters in Boom ravine. This relief was carried out by daylight and in full view of the enemy from the neighbourhood of Loupart Wood, the consequence being that our men were shelled as they went up and twenty casualties resulted.
It was thought probable about this time that the enemy was withdrawing, and when the West Kent were relieved they reported signs of a retirement, so, when night fell, the Buffs were ordered to send out patrols along the road leading north-east towards South Miraumont Trench until touch was gained with the enemy, to find out whether that work had been evacuated and, if so, to occupy it. The darkness was intense and movement most difficult, but D Company found the South Miraumont Trench deserted and, in conjunction with a company of the Queen’s, established posts there. When daylight came C Company, assisted by A, commenced a complete reconnaissance which was most admirably carried out under Captain Clapperton of C Company, who, with Lieut. Hayfield, 2nd Lieuts. Mathias and Church and Captain Row, did some skilful and useful work. They found Petit Miraumont abandoned by the enemy, and by evening it was ascertained that Pys and Miraumont had also been evacuated. When night had again fallen (on the 24th February) a line was established running along the East Miraumont road as far as the railway where it passes the village, and this was held by A Company (Captain Allen) on the right, and C (Captain Clapperton) on the left.
On the 25th news came that the 2nd and 63rd Divisions were about to advance, one on either side of the 35th Brigade, who prepared to go forward in their company with the Buffs in front. There was a very thick fog, and the task of collecting the scattered companies was thus rendered a most difficult one, but the work was well and comparatively quickly accomplished and the advance successfully carried out. A Company covered the advance with patrols while D moved on Pys with the near edge of Irles as an objective. C Company moved with its left on the railway, B being held in reserve on the East Miraumont road. The fog was so dense that compasses had to be used, but, notwithstanding all difficulties, the several parties all reached their objectives and gained touch inwards. D had to throw back its right flank to join with the 2nd Division, which came up much slower. This company was admirably handled by Captain Wood, but this is also true of all the company and platoon leaders. In the course of the afternoon the positions gained were consolidated under a certain amount of shelling and machine-gun fire from Irles and a position east of Pys. That evening the battalion was relieved by the 7th Queen’s and went back to the Zollern Redoubt, after placing to its credit a very fine piece of work.
The early part of March was spent in the same area, that is between the Zollern Redoubt and Miraumont, but no event of great importance to the Buffs occurred, though indications were at this time being observed by the staff of a coming German withdrawal, and on the 14th March any doubts as to the truth of this conjecture were dissolved and three days later a general advance of our whole line from Roye in the south to just south of Arras took place. The enemy had retreated to his Hindenburg Line. Unfortunately he could not be properly pursued: our people were travelling over devastated country and smashed and broken roads, bridges and communications, while the German had of course kept everything of that sort in his rear in perfect order.
The 55th Brigade, with the Buffs, moved away from the district altogether, commencing the journey on the 21st March by marching ten miles to the south-west and billeting at Harponville. On the 25th they entrained at Saleux for the First Army area, detraining next day at Steenbecque, south-west of Hazebrouck, and thence marching to billets at Boeseghem, in which vicinity the battalion remained for a considerable time, undergoing the usual course of training.