The Children's Story of the War Volume 4 (of 10): The Story of the Year 1915Parrott, Edward
History
The Children's Story of the War Volume 4 (of 10): The Story of the Year 1915
Parrott, Edward
World War, 1914-1918 -- Juvenile literature
While the Canadians between the little wood and Grafenstafel were
holding on, British battalions were being hurried up as rapidly as
possible. You will see from the map on page 208 that the 13th Brigade
filled the gap between the canal and the Pilkem road, and that they were
supported by Territorials of the York and Durham Brigade, who had
arrived in France only three days before. Between Geddes's detachment
and the little wood lay the 10th Brigade, consisting of Territorials,
the 1st Warwicks, 2nd Seaforths, 1st Irish Fusiliers, 2nd Dublin
Fusiliers, and 7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. The Durhams and
the 1st Hants were holding the gap between the Canadians and the 28th
Division. Such was the condition of the northern side of the salient on
Saturday evening when the 3rd Canadian Brigade was retired. The
Northumbrian Division took its place.
About 4.30 on Sunday morning the 10th Brigade and two battalions of the
York and Durham Brigade made a great attempt to recapture St. Julien.
The men reached the cottages at the end of the village, but were brought
to a standstill by German machine guns. They lost very heavily in the
advance, but for the rest of the day they hung on to the blood and gas
stained position. Further east, at Grafenstafel, the Durhams were
assailed by shells filled with gases that choked and stupefied them, and
at two o'clock in the afternoon, before they could breathe freely again,
the Germans charged down upon them. From two o'clock until seven the
Durhams hurled back attack after attack, but as the evening wore on the
pressure proved too great, and they were forced to retire with heavy
losses to the little village of Fortuin. A similar attempt was made on
the 28th Division, but without success. When night fell, our front was
unbroken on the east as far north as Grafenstafel. That Sunday night,
you will remember, the Canadian 2nd Brigade was retired only to be
called up again the next day. Its place was taken by the Lahore Division
of Indians.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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