The First Seven Divisions: Being a Detailed Account of the Fighting from Mons to YpresHamilton, Ernest, Lord
History
The First Seven Divisions: Being a Detailed Account of the Fighting from Mons to Ypres
Hamilton, Ernest, Lord
World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Western Front
It will be remembered that on Oct. 19th, 20th and 21st there had been
very fierce fighting in and around Zonnebeke, where the enemy made
persistent efforts to break through to Ypres--efforts which were
frustrated by the timely arrival of the 1st A.C. on the night of the
20th, This Army Corps during the night took over the entire line from
Bixschoote to Zonnebeke, and on the 21st the Guards' Brigade, on the
right of this line, was able to contribute largely to the repulse of
the German attack.
On the 22nd the pressure was shifted to the left of the 1st A.C. line,
the 1st Brigade being attacked in great force at Pilkem from the
direction of Staden. The Germans advanced to their attack with the
utmost determination and with a complete disregard of danger, singing
"_Die wacht am Rhein_" and waving their rifles over their heads. The
focus-point of the attack was the position occupied by the Camerons,
who eventually, by sheer weight of numbers, were driven back, but not
before they had taken an appalling toll of the enemy, 1,500 of the
latter being found dead upon the ground the following day.
General Lomax, commanding the division, had no idea of leaving the
enemy in peace to enjoy this temporary triumph, and at nine o'clock on
the same evening the 2nd Brigade, which was billeted some eight or nine
miles to the south at the village of Boesinghe, received orders to
retake the lost trenches. The R. Sussex regiment was left at Boesinghe,
but the remaining three battalions, viz., the 1st Loyal N. Lancashires,
the 2nd K.R.R. (60th) and the 1st Northamptons, set out and marched all
night to the little village of Pilkem, which was reached at 5 a.m.
The brigade, which had had no food all night, was given no time for
rest or breakfast, but was ordered to attack the trenches at once. In
the brigade order of October 28th, dealing with this action, General
Bulfin, the Brigadier, singles out the 1st Loyal N. Lancashire Regiment
for special praise. It may, therefore, be allowable to confine our
description of the action to a brief review of the part played by this
battalion, which, it will be remembered, had behaved with such
remarkable gallantry at the battle of Troyon.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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