The British Campaign in France and Flanders—January to July, 1918Doyle, Arthur Conan
History
The British Campaign in France and Flanders—January to July, 1918
Doyle, Arthur Conan
World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Western Front
The Thirty-fourth Division was last mentioned in this narrative when
it fell back from Nieppe on April 12, and was afterwards compelled to
take position on the right of the Twenty-fifth Division in the De
Seule neighbourhood. Among other losses during the retreat was a
tried soldier, General Gore of the 101st Brigade.
[Sidenote: Northern Area. April 13 onwards.]
On the 13th the enemy made several tentative attacks, but had no
success. Late in the afternoon, however, he had succeeded in
penetrating the line of the Twenty-fifth Division between Neuve
Eglise and De Seule. This success left the left flank of the
Thirty-fourth in the air. The 103rd Brigade had moved to the
Ravelsberg Ridge, however, and so gave a definite line upon which to
withdraw, extending from Bailleul Station to Crucifix Corner, which
was a very important position. The 103rd Brigade was now on the left
of the line, and the 102nd on the right. There followed, on April
15, a day of very severe fighting, the enemy making continual and
very fiery attacks along the whole line, especially upon the three
points, Steam Mill, Mont de Lille, and Crucifix Corner. The latter
was carried by the enemy and then was retaken by the 9th
Northumberland Fusiliers. Mont de Lille was held by the 74th {285}
Brigade, and Steam Mill by the 147th, each the centre of a very
deadly combat. Steam Mill was lost and yet again retaken by the
Yorkshire Territorials who were aided by the 1st Middlesex from the
Thirty-third Division. It was a long and arduous day of battle,
inexpressibly trying to the wearied troops engaged. General
Nicholson had under his hand six brigades that day, and senior
officers upon the spot have testified to the masterly use which he
made of them. That night the Fifty-ninth came up into the front line
and relieved the exhausted infantry. The relief, however, was but a
momentary one, for on the afternoon of April 15 the Germans delivered
yet another strong attack upon the Ravelsberg line, now held by the
Forty-ninth, Fifty-ninth, and Thirty-third Divisions. The
Fifty-ninth, as already described, fell back through the
Thirty-fourth Division, which again found itself in the front line.
The two flank divisions both fell back to conform, and lined up with
the remains of the Thirty-fourth on the new line near St. Jans
Cappel, which held firm from April 16.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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