The Division held the canal crossings throughout the day in spite of many attempts by the enemy to force them. Fighting was heavy at Offoy on the front of the 12th K.R.R.C.; at Béthencourt the 11th R.B. drove back with considerable loss several parties which tried to cross the canal.
In the evening the 182nd Brigade (61st Division), which had been under the orders of Major-General Douglas Smith since the morning, was transferred to the 30th Division, and the 183rd and 184th Brigades (61st Division) came under the 20th Division for counter-attack purposes and moved to Nesle. The Division was further reinforced by two batteries of a Canadian Motor Machine Gun Battalion under Capt. Merling. “In all subsequent operations,” the official report states, “up to the 31st March, these batteries performed yeoman service, and on account of their mobility were of inestimable service in holding the extended fronts allotted to the Division.”
As soon as night came on, a great noise of traffic and shouting was heard in Offoy, where “C” Company of the 12th K.R.R.C. guarded the crossing. Under the fire of Vickers and Lewis guns the Germans became quieter, but at various points along the canal they could be heard driving in stakes, moving planks, and making evident preparations to throw out bridges. They planked what remained of the Offoy bridge during the night and made several attempts to cross it, but the 12th K.R.R.C. held on with great courage and complete success.
All through the 24th the Division was repeatedly attacked, particularly on the flanks, and the whole line was severely shelled. At 5 A.M. it was reported that the enemy had crossed the canal at Pargny, forcing a gap between the 20th and 8th Divisions, and was moving south along the west bank. Dispositions to meet this were made by the 11th R.B. and by battalions of the East Lancashire Regiment and the Royal Berkshire Regiment, who prolonged the flank to the left. Under cover of a thick mist the Germans shortly afterwards worked their way into Béthencourt, where their machine guns caused many casualties among the headquarters of the 11th R.B. At 8 A.M. an attempt to cross the canal on the front of the 11th R.B. was frustrated. “C” Company counter attacked the enemy in Béthencourt about 10 A.M., but was hopelessly outnumbered, and only a few men returned.
In spite of the flanks being in the air, the line held until 11.30 A.M., when a heavy trench mortar bombardment, directed by low-flying aeroplanes, forced the left flank to withdraw to a ridge 200 yards in rear. In making a further counter attack another company of the 11th R.B. was almost wiped out by artillery and machine-gun fire.
Shortly after mid-day the 183rd Brigade, reinforced by eight motor machine guns, counter attacked, and temporarily relieved the pressure. Later, as the enemy was getting further and further round the left flank, these three battalions retired to a better position in rear. Here Lieut.-Colonel Cotton was wounded, and was succeeded by Major the Hon. A. M. Bertie, D.S.O., M.C. By 4 P.M. “A” Company consisted of 1 officer and 25 men; “D” Company had 1 officer, and “B” and “C” Companies none at all.
About 2 P.M. the 11th K.R.R.C. at Voyennes lost their commanding officer, Lieut.-Colonel Prialux, who was killed by a shell, with most of the battalion headquarters. He was succeeded by Major M. S. Ormrod. Soon afterwards the enemy crossed the canal and turned the line, forcing the battalion back to the high ground west of the village. The Scottish Rifles were then attacked from the rear. “B” Company, under Capt. Steward, made a fine stand, and eventually withdrew from a difficult position only 24 men strong.
Meanwhile a critical situation had developed on the right. At 8 A.M. the enemy, advancing from Ham, forced our troops out of Canizy and back to the railway. Lieut.-Colonel Moore, commanding the 12th K.R.R.C., immediately led “B” and “D” Companies of his battalion forward to counter attack. It was a great charge, and the bayonet was used with wonderful effect, but when it was over, Lieut.-Colonel Moore was missing. The Germans were driven back into the village, but later they came on again in greater numbers than before, and under very strong pressure the right of the 12th K.R.R.C. swung back to the railway again. In the course of this fighting our aeroplanes gave invaluable help. At one time, when “C” Company of the 12th K.R.R.C. was holding on to its position with great difficulty under heavy trench mortar fire, they nose-dived to a height of 200 feet and dropped bomb after bomb on to the German trench mortars until they put them completely out of action.
At 9.30 A.M. Major Massie, commanding the 83rd Field Company R.E., with about thirty of his men, reported to Brig.-General Duncan, who ordered him to take up a position south of Canizy on the main Ham road. Moving forward behind cyclist scouts and an advanced guard Major Massie took up the allotted position, keeping one section in reserve. He collected a considerable number of stragglers of various units and took them under his command. He was in touch with the 12th K.R.R.C. on his left, but had no troops on his right.
During the morning, repeated attempts of the enemy to advance were held up by the rifle fire of this party, with the help of one Lewis gun of the 30th Division. At 1.15 P.M. the pressure on the right increased, and half an hour later the reserve section was sent up to reinforce this flank with about thirty men of other divisions and some two or three hundred rounds of ammunition which had been collected. By 3 P.M. the right flank was being very heavily pressed and ammunition was running out, and at 3.30 the enemy made a heavy and determined attack against the whole company front. The losses from enfilade machine-gun fire were severe, but although the right was forced back the company held on until the troops on the left had retired. Then, having made a very gallant stand, Major Massie gradually withdrew his party while heavily engaged with the enemy, and eventually reported to the 60th Brigade at 7 o’clock that evening.