Current History: A Monthly Magazine of the New York Times, May 1918: Vol. VIII, Part I, No. 2Various
History
Current History: A Monthly Magazine of the New York Times, May 1918: Vol. VIII, Part I, No. 2
Various
World War, 1914-1918
In this fighting the 47th (London) Division (T.), the 2d Division, and
the 56th (London) Division (T.) greatly distinguished themselves, and
there were accomplished many deeds of great heroism.
Under the fury of the enemy's bombardment a company of the 17th
Battalion Royal Fusiliers were in the course of being withdrawn from an
exposed position in a saphead in advance of our line between Bourlon
Wood and Moeuvres when the German attack burst upon them. The officer in
command sent three of his platoons back, and with a rearguard composed
of the remainder of his company held off the enemy's infantry until the
main position had been organized. Having faithfully accomplished their
task, this rearguard died fighting to the end with their faces to the
enemy.
Somewhat later in the morning an attack in force between the Canal du
Nord and Moeuvres broke into our foremost positions and isolated a
company of the 13th Battalion, Essex Regiment, in a trench just west of
the canal. After maintaining a splendid and successful resistance
throughout the day, whereby the pressure upon our main line was greatly
relieved, at 4 P. M. this company held a council of war, at which the
two remaining company officers, the company Sergeant Major, and the
platoon Sergeants were present, and unanimously determined to fight to
the last and have "no surrender." Two runners who were sent to notify
this decision to battalion headquarters succeeded in getting through to
our lines and delivered their message. During the remainder of the
afternoon and far into the following night this gallant company were
heard fighting, and there is little room for doubt that they carried out
to a man their heroic resolution.
Enormous German Losses
Early in the afternoon large masses of the enemy again attacked west of
Bourlon Wood, and, though beaten off with great loss at most points,
succeeded in overwhelming three out of a line of posts held by a company
of the 1st Battalion, Royal Berks Regiment, on the right of the 2d
Division. Though repeatedly attacked by vastly superior numbers, the
remainder of these posts stood firm, and when, two days later, the three
posts which had been overpowered were regained, such a heap of German
dead lay in and around them that the bodies of our own men were hidden.
All accounts go to show that the enemy's losses in the whole of his
constantly repeated attacks on this sector of the battle front were
enormous. One battery of eight machine guns fired 70,000 rounds of
ammunition into ten successive waves of Germans. Long lines of attacking
infantry were caught by our machine-gun fire in enfilade, and were shot
down in line as they advanced. Great execution also was done by our
field artillery, and in the course of the battle guns were brought up to
the crest line and fired direct upon the enemy at short range.
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