The British Campaign in France and Flanders, 1917Doyle, Arthur Conan
History
The British Campaign in France and Flanders, 1917
Doyle, Arthur Conan
World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Western Front
Farther still to the north, the Sixth Division had moved towards the
Dynamite Magazine and Nash Alley, but here also the attack was held
by the defence. On the whole, in spite of the prisoners and in spite
of Guémappe and {71} Gavrelle, it was doubtful if the gains made up
for the losses upon the day's balance.
[Sidenote: April 24]
A second day of hard fighting was destined to follow that of April
23, though the advance began later in the day. In the area of the
Seventh Corps some advance was made in the centre and two field-guns
were captured. The Sixth Corps also went forward again. The front
attacked was strong, the fire heavy, and the attacking troops had
again and again been through the furnace, which had only tempered
their courage, but had woefully consumed their numbers. The
Fifteenth Division in the south got forward some distance and dug
themselves in on the new line. The Twenty-ninth also made some
gains, but were unable to retain them, and fell back upon their old
line. In the movement some of the parties to flank and rear were
overwhelmed, and 250 men, including 3 officers, were taken. In the
north, the Seventeenth Division held its old line, and did not join
in the advance. After nightfall the Twelfth Division came into line
again, relieving the weary Twenty-ninth. Farther north the
Seventeenth Corps and the First Army were driving back
counter-attacks.
The next day (April 25) saw the long struggle still renewed. In the
early morning the 50th and 52nd Brigades of the Seventeenth Division
went forward and made some progress, as did the indomitable Fifteenth
Division in the south. It was clear, however, that the forces
available for attack were not strong enough to attain any
considerable result in this portion of the line. The Fifteenth,
however, were not to be denied, and with extraordinary tenacity they
made a sudden night attack upon April 26, and {72} for a time got
possession of a strong German post, called Cavalry Farm, which barred
the way. The [Sidenote: April 27] enemy counter-attacked in the
early morning of April 27 and re-occupied the Farm, but the Scotsmen
held firmly to the trenches immediately south of it. At this date
the Seventeenth drew out of the line and the Third came in again in
the centre of the Corps front, while the Twelfth moved to the left.
They were just in time to meet a strong German night attack upon
April 27, which broke before the rifle and machine-gun fire of the
infantry at the point of contact between the two divisions. The
German losses were heavy, and they left a few prisoners behind them.
[Sidenote: April 28]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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