The British Campaign in France and Flanders, 1916Doyle, Arthur Conan
History
The British Campaign in France and Flanders, 1916
Doyle, Arthur Conan
World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Western Front
Our narrative of the events upon the left wing of the army has now
got in front of the general account, but as the operations of General
Gough's force have {203} definite objectives of their own, the story
may now be continued up to September 15, after which we can leave
this flank altogether for a time and concentrate upon the happenings
in the centre, and especially upon the right flank where Delville
Wood, Ginchy and Guillemont had presented such impediments to the
advance. At or about the time, September 4, when the Canadians took
over the lines of the Australians at Pozières and Mouquet Farm, the
Eleventh British Division, the First English Division of the New
Army, which had come back from hard service in the East, relieved the
Twenty-fifth Division upon the Canadian left. For a week there was
quiet upon this part of the line, for a great forward move along the
whole eleven-mile front had been planned for September 15, and this
was the lull before the storm. On the evening before this great
assault, the Eleventh Division crept up to and carried the main
German stronghold, called the Wonderwork, which lay between them and
Thiepval. There was some sharp bayonet work, and the defeated
garrison flying towards Thiepval ran into the barrage so that the
enemy losses were heavy, while the British line crept up to within
350 yards of the village. This advance stopped for ever the flank
fire by which the Germans were able to make Mouquet Farm almost
untenable, and the Canadians were able to occupy it. The capture of
the Wonderwork was carried out by Price's 32nd Infantry Brigade of
Yorkshire troops. The most of the work and the heaviest losses fell
upon the 9th West Yorks, but the 8th West Ridings and the 6th Yorks
were both engaged, the latter losing their colonel, Forsyth. The
total casualties came to 26 officers and 742 men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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