The 7th K.O.Y.L.I. remained with the Division until the 15th, when they came under the O.C. Reinforcements XXIInd Corps; on the 20th they became the 14th Entrenching Battalion.
The 2nd Scottish Rifles, a very fine battalion over 1000 strong, under Lieut.-Col. H. C. H. Smith, D.S.O., came from the 8th Division to the 20th on the 3rd of February, and from that time formed part of the 59th Brigade.
In the Trench Mortar Batteries the personnel of V/20 Battery was transferred to the XXIInd Corps (H) T.M.B.; X, Y, and Z/20 were then reorganised to form the new X and Y/20 Batteries. At the same time, twelve mortars were handed over in exchange for ten six-inch Newtons.
After this the 20th Division was relieved by the 37th. All units were out of the line by the 19th, and on the following day began to entrain for the area of the Fifth Army south of the Somme.
Chapter XI
THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE ON THE SOMME
21st February to 25th March 1918
Occupation of the rear zone defences—Retreat to the Somme—Defence of the Libermont Canal—Actions of the 61st Infantry Brigade and 91st Field Artillery Brigade under the 36th Division.
(Vide [Map IV.])
On the 23rd of February 1918 Divisional Headquarters was opened at Ercheu in the area of the Fifth Army. The 60th Brigade was billeted in the Ham area; the 59th near Beaulieu, three miles south of Ercheu; the 61st near Freniches, three miles south-east of Ercheu; the 91st Field Artillery Brigade at Esmery-Hallon; the 92nd Field Artillery Brigade at Rouy-le-Grand, two and a half miles north-east of Nesle. The Division was in G.H.Q. reserve but was to be placed at the disposal of the XVIIIth Corps, commanded by Lieut.-Gen. Sir F. I. Maxse, in the event of a German attack on the Corps front. During the rest of February and the first three weeks of March all units worked from time to time on the defences behind the battle zone and reconnoitred the positions which they would have to occupy in accordance with various schemes which had been prepared to meet a German offensive. All these schemes entailed considerable work for the 20th Divisional Signal Company. The Divisional Artillery, under Brig.-General Christie, took full advantage of the unique experience of being out of the line for a whole month to train batteries in open warfare, the ground lending itself admirably to this kind of work.
At the end of February the four machine gun companies of the Division were formed into the 20th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps, under Lieut.-Colonel H. L. Riley, D.S.O. The 59th, 60th, 61st and 217th Companies became “A,” “B,” “C,” and “D” Companies of the battalion respectively. In the middle of March Brig.-General Banbury, commanding the 61st Infantry Brigade, went home for six months’ rest. He was succeeded by Brig.-General J. K. Cochrane, C.M.G.
It soon became clear that the expected German offensive would not be long delayed. On arrival in this area troops had been ordered to be ready to move at twenty-four hours’ notice; this was reduced to twelve hours on the 10th of March, and on the 20th to one hour. Just after 5 A.M. on the 21st, XVIIIth Corps issued the order “Man Battle Stations.”