The history of the Twentieth (Light) Division

by Valentine Erskine Inglefield

At 2 P.M. the barrage opened and the 10th and 11th K.R.R.C. deployed from their positions and advanced in extended order. They met with little opposition for the first fifteen minutes, but when they came within 700 yards of Metz the enemy’s rifle and machine-gun fire increased. At 2.30 the two companies of the 10th K.R.R.C. on the right flank suffered a good many casualties from the enemy’s posts to the south-east of the village; the two left companies and the 11th Battalion had at this time reached the outskirts of Metz, where they paused for a few moments till the barrage lifted. They entered the village at 2.40 and found it more strongly fortified than had been expected. The left company of the 11th K.R.R.C. was at first held up by a succession of trenches on the north-west of the village, but after a good deal of fighting cleared them all and established a line beyond them. In spite of considerable fire from the houses and from Havrincourt Wood, the centre companies of the attack soon cleared most of Metz, leaving in the enemy’s possession only the northern part of it, where wire and covering fire from the wood held them up for a time. Meanwhile the two right companies of the 10th K.R.R.C. had advanced in line with the rest of the battalion and were just south-east of the village. Here no troops of the 8th Division could be seen, and the enemy counter attacked from the south-east. A company of the 10th R.B. in reserve was at once sent forward, but arriving after the counter attack had been driven off, established a defensive flank facing Gouzeaucourt Wood, and eventually got into touch with the 8th Division. By 3.25 P.M. the whole of Metz was in our hands except a few houses on the north; cellars and dug-outs had been cleared and a number of prisoners taken.

The 11th R.B. then advanced on a two company front, with a company of the 10th R.B. on their right. On the left flank the attacking troops immediately came under heavy fire from machine guns in the south-west corner of Havrincourt Wood, and suffered many casualties; they were reinforced by half a company from the supporting line, but could not make much progress. Capt. the Hon. A. M. Bertie, 11th R.B., was awarded the D.S.O. for a gallant effort to silence these machine guns. The troops on the right were under cover of rising ground for the first hundred yards or so, and were able to advance to within a short distance of the first line of trenches, which they captured when the barrage lifted at 3.55 P.M. A fire fight then developed with the enemy, who had retired to the line of the wood, towards which the right companies continued to work forward. By 5 P.M. they had taken Mill Farm on the south edge and were in touch with the 11th K.R.R.C., though the left company was still held up by the machine guns in the south-west corner. These were eventually dislodged by a patrol from the right which worked round their flank, and by 7 P.M. the whole of the objective had been gained.

The 10th and 11th K.R.R.C. meanwhile had pushed through Metz and at 4 P.M. began to dig in on the further side. The village was heavily shelled by the enemy from 6.30 P.M. onwards, but as the battalions were on the far side consolidating the new line, little loss was caused. The advance, however, had cost heavy casualties—more than a quarter of all the troops engaged. The two remaining companies of the 10th R.B. and four guns from the 59th Machine Gun Company were therefore sent forward to reinforce the front line. The 10th K.R.R.C. in particular had suffered severely; of the nine officers hit some had served with this unit since 1914, among them Capt. Egerton Leigh, one of the most gallant officers the battalion had known, who was killed. Lieut.-Colonel Ley, commanding the 10th K.R.R.C., received the D.S.O. The ridge captured on this day was afterwards known as “Greenjacket Ridge.”

The operations were very well carried out by troops who had already held the front line for eight days and of whom half had been engaged in the advance on the 30th of March. Twenty-five per cent. of the infantry consisted of newly arrived drafts, whose behaviour was very highly praised by their commanding officers.

It appears from prisoners’ statements that the Germans did not expect to be attacked until the 7th; they certainly left behind many signs of a hurried retreat, including the remains of a meal in the middle of which some of their officers had evidently been disturbed, and which consisted of hot coffee and English potted meat.

Little mention of the artillery and machine gun companies has been made in the account of this fighting, but that they, as well as the infantry, did excellent work, is shown in the following message which was received two days later from the Fourth Army Commander: “Please convey to the 20th Division my hearty congratulations on their well-deserved success. The co-operation of artillery, machine guns and infantry in the hard fighting of the last few days is most creditable to all ranks, and I offer them my warmest thanks.”

On the night of the 5th/6th the 61st Brigade relieved the 59th, and next day the new main line of resistance, Metz—Neuville—Ruyaulcourt—Bertincourt, was occupied. That night the 40th Division came into the line between the 8th and the 20th, taking over 500 yards of front from the latter, whose right flank then rested just in front of the south-east corner of Metz. On the 9th the 60th Machine Gun Company co-operated with the 1st Australian Division, which made a successful attack on Hermies.

On the 10th of April (Easter Monday) the 61st Brigade was holding the near edge of Havrincourt Wood. At 4 P.M. the 7th Somerset L.I. and 7th D.C.L.I. made an attack which took the Germans by surprise while having their evening meal. The outpost line was advanced some 300 to 400 yards into the wood with very slight casualties, and the troops enjoyed an excellent meal which Fritz had kindly prepared for them.

The 83rd Field Company R.E. did excellent work during the first fortnight of April under the 60th Brigade, and was congratulated by the Brigade Commander. Sgt. W. Bee, Lance-Cpl. E. Reed and Cpl. J. Hamilton of this company were awarded the Military Medal at the end of the month, the two former for capturing a machine gun in the attack on Metz-en-Couture.

On the 13th the main line of resistance was again advanced, pivoting on Metz, to pass through the south-west part of Havrincourt Wood and along the west edge of it. Patrols penetrated as far as the north-east arm of the wood in daylight without seeing any of the enemy.