The Grenadier Guards in the Great War of 1914-1918, Vol. 1 of 3Ponsonby, Frederick
History
The Grenadier Guards in the Great War of 1914-1918, Vol. 1 of 3
Ponsonby, Frederick
Great Britain. Army. Grenadier Guards; World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Great Britain
Very heavy shell-fire opened the morning of November 1. One
high-explosive shell stripped off the whole back of the house occupied
by the Brigade Headquarters, which was thereupon moved to shelters in
the Château Herenthage wood. An infantry attack followed, but it was
only feeble, and the Grenadiers remained in a wood south of Herenthage
in Brigade Reserve. There they prepared a second line of fire-trenches,
and improved the existing dug-outs, while the wood was shelled at
intervals with high explosives.
[Sidenote: Nov. 2.]
The brunt of the attack at that part of the line was borne next day by
the Border Regiment, which held on to its trenches so gallantly and
unflinchingly, in spite of a murderous enfilade fire, that it received a
special message from General Capper. In the evening it was relieved by
the Grenadiers. During the heavy shell-fire, with which the enemy
searched the ground in rear of our trenches, General Ruggles-Brise was
severely wounded, and Major A. Cator, the Brigade-Major, took over
command of the Brigade.
[Sidenote: Nov. 3.]
The men had now managed to put out a little wire in front, and it seemed
unlikely that the Germans would be able to make much impression on the
line. The trenches, which were good and continuous, were held by the
Grenadiers on the right and the Scots Guards on the left. There was a
weak spot on the right of the Grenadiers near the wood, but this was
well covered by the Gordon Highlanders in rear.
In the afternoon of the 3rd, the Scots Guards reported the enemy to be
massing in the woods in front of them, while parties were observed
moving towards our right, and our guns turned a heavy fire on to them.
Though no attack developed, a few parties of the enemy advanced in a
half-hearted way, more as if they were carrying out a reconnaissance.
The Brigade suffered some casualties during the day from shells and
snipers, and Lieutenant Sir G. Duckworth-King, who had almost
miraculously come unhurt through the last ten days' fighting, was at
last wounded.
[Sidenote: Nov. 4.]
A draft of 100 men under Lieutenant C. Mitchell arrived next day, and
considerably added to the strength of the Battalion. There was a great
deal of indiscriminate shelling and sniping, and Lieutenant G. E. Hope
was wounded in the head by a sniper.
[Sidenote: Nov. 5.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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