The operation, however, was delayed for nearly three weeks by a constantly unfavourable wind. Meanwhile orders arrived for the relief of the 20th Division by the 8th. The move was to begin on the 9th of January. Accordingly on the 6th and 7th 450 gas cylinders were withdrawn from the front trenches. Then, on the 8th, the wind changed, and as by 2 P.M. it was blowing from the north-west, orders were immediately issued that the attack should take place that night with the 400 cylinders which still remained in position.
At this time the Divisional front was held by the 60th Brigade on the light and the 61st on the left. The 59th Brigade, which was to provide the raiding parties, was in reserve. As the number of cylinders had been so much reduced, it was decided to send forward only one raiding party instead of four.
The gas was turned on at 2 A.M. on the 9th, but went slowly, and was blown by gusts of westerly wind across the front of the trenches to be attacked. As the right flank of the raiding party would then have been exposed, and as the enemy throughout showed himself to be particularly alert, the raid was finally abandoned.
Smoke barrages were made at 2.10 A.M. on the flanks of the gas, and the artillery and trench mortars carried out a most excellent and accurate bombardment. Machine guns assisted with indirect fire which was good and never dropped. At 2.40 A.M. the gas was turned off and the smoke barrages and machine gun and trench mortar fire ceased.
During the time spent in the Laventie sector good work was done by the Divisional Mounted Troops—Headquarters, “D” Squadron and the Machine Gun Section, 1/1st Westmoreland and Cumberland Yeomanry—under Lieut.-Colonel C. Beddington. Parties of “D” Squadron (Major E. B. Lees) frequently did a tour of duty in the trenches, and the Machine Gun Section was regularly employed in the line. On the 25th of September Lieut. Leighton acted as Divisional Observation Officer and Captain Curtis as Liaison Officer between Divisional Headquarters and the Meerut Division. On the 8th of December Major Lees was invalided home and Captain C. A. C. Hazelhurst took command of “D” Squadron. By the 16th of January the squadron had 54 trained bombers—72 per cent. of the men available for bombing instruction.
The 20th Divisional Cyclist Company, under Captain C. H. M. Johns, in addition to providing orderlies, police and men for salvage and other duties, provided working parties almost every day and night from the middle of October, and put up a large amount of wire.
The gallant conduct of Lieut. Hankey, 12th K.R.R.C., while instructor at the 60th Brigade bombing school, should be mentioned here. On three separate occasions Lieut. Hankey saved lives by picking up and throwing away lighted bombs which had been dropped or had fallen short. He was later awarded the Albert Medal for these acts.
On the 9th the relief of the 20th by the 8th Division began, and by the 13th all units were in the reserve area, with Divisional Headquarters at Blarnighem Château. Here they stayed for a week carrying out training. Suddenly, on the 20th of January, the Division was ordered to move north to the Second Army, having been specially selected by Lord Cavan to form part of the new XIVth Corps.
Chapter III
THE YPRES SALIENT
22nd January to 26 July 1916
The left sector of the XIVth Corps front—German attacks on the left of the line—Arrival of the Machine Gun Companies and Medium Trench Mortar Batteries—Major-General Davies succeeded by Major-General Douglas Smith—Attack on the 7th D.C.L.I.—The Division in reserve—Reorganisation of the artillery—The sector north of Hooge—Attack on the 7th Somerset L.I.—Attack on the Canadians at Hooge—Gas attacks and raids by the Division—Move south.