The British Campaign in France and Flanders—July to November, 1918Doyle, Arthur Conan
History
The British Campaign in France and Flanders—July to November, 1918
Doyle, Arthur Conan
World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Western Front
The 8th Brigade (Fisher) of the Third Division had also advanced on
the left of the 9th, keeping pace with it so far as the fog would
allow. The 7th Shropshires were on the left, in touch with the
Guards. The 1st Scots Fusiliers were on the right and the 2nd Royal
Scots in support. The attack was directed upon Courcelles, which was
carried by the Scots Fusiliers and mopped up by the 8th Royal
Lancasters. From the village a sharp slope leads down to the railway
line and here the opposition was very strong, the ground being
closely swept by rifle and machine-gun fire. Behind two tanks the
leading battalions rushed forward and the railway was rushed, with
200 prisoners. The position was organised, and touch established
with the Guards on the left and with the 9th Brigade on the right.
The 9th Brigade found it difficult, however, to get touch with the
Sixty-third Naval Division on their right, that unit having
experienced considerable difficulties and losses. The 76th Brigade,
the remaining unit of the Third Division, had the 2nd Suffolks and
1st Gordons close up to the line, and all of these battalions were
much mixed up owing to the persistent fog.
A very determined pocket of German infantry and machine-gunners had
remained in front of the left flank of the Sixty-third Division,
formed by the 188th Brigade. These men were now on the right rear of
the 9th Brigade, but the situation was obscure and nothing was
certain save that the British line was not yet continuous and solid.
In spite of a {102} concentration of artillery the Germans were still
holding out next morning, being the only hostile units to the west of
the railway line on the Sixth Corps sector.
An attempt had been made to get forward to Achiet-le-Grand, in which
part of the Sixty-third Division on the right and two companies of
the Gordons participated. The Ansons and the Gordons both lost
considerably in this attack and were unable to reach the village,
though they advanced the line by 500 yards. Lack of artillery
support, while the enemy guns were numerous and active, was the cause
of the check.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account