The History of the 2/6th (Rifle) Battalion, "the King's" (Liverpool Regiment) 1914-1919Wurtzburg, C. E. (Charles Edward)
History
The History of the 2/6th (Rifle) Battalion, "the King's" (Liverpool Regiment) 1914-1919
Wurtzburg, C. E. (Charles Edward)
Great Britain. Army. King's Liverpool Regiment; World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Great Britain
The difficulty of keeping pace with the bewildering rapidity of the
Allied advance suggested the advantage of a battle map, and accordingly
the necessary sheets of the 1: 250,000 map were fastened on a board and
the situation shown by cotton on pins. This was placed in a prominent
position outside Battalion Headquarters; and here, too, were pinned
the telegrams announcing the different stages of the advance. The
arrangement proved very satisfactory, enabling as it did not only
the troops, but also the civilians, to see at a glance how the war
was progressing. The crowd around the board at once testified to its
popularity.
For (as it proved) the last time in our history we were now ordered to
reconnoitre defensive positions and emergency routes in the event of a
German counter-attack. This was a most unlikely event, as we were on
one side and they on the other of a wide river. It was, however, quite
fitting that our active service should end, as it had begun, with this
necessary but illusive form of military exercise.
At 10 a.m. on October 30th we left Willems for the Hallemes area,
passing our relieving battalion, the 19th Londons, _en route_. The
hopes of a trip to Italy, so strongly entertained by the 47th Division,
had apparently been dashed to the ground once more.
[Illustration: APPROACH TO CAMBRAI. RIFLE RANGE IN FOREGROUND.
Photographed by Aeroplane, 1st October, 1918.]
Owing to a sudden attack of influenza, an ambulance had to be
requisitioned to remove Captain Fell, the Quartermaster, Lieutenant
F. E. Evans, Captain Noon, now in command of "A" Company, and
2nd-Lieutenant D. R. Williams. The Commanding Officer was on a
course, and the Headquarters Staff now consisted of the Adjutant, the
Intelligence Officer, and the Transport Officer. After a short march
along the side-roads we came on to the great highway between Lille
and Tournai, and at 1.30 p.m. arrived at the Faubourg de Fives, one
of the suburbs of Lille, where billets were awaiting us. Battalion
Headquarters, including all the details, were accommodated in a
house and a series of factory buildings on the main road, Rue Pierre
le Grand. The companies were in two or three roads to the rear of
Headquarters, and were billeted after the fashion of 1914--two or three
men to a house. For the sick officers another house in the main street
was taken over, and here they were kept isolated, except Fell and
Williams, who had to go to hospital.
Several new officers now began to arrive. Lieutenant Belk had joined us
in Willems, and 2nd-Lieutenants Bethell and Forshaw, A.S.C., arrived at
Fives on our second day. Captain Bowring returned that day also from
United Kingdom leave, and took over the duties of Adjutant, the latter
acting as Second-in-Command. The following day 2nd-Lieutenants Cufflin
and Woodworth, M.M., reported for duty.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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