The History of the 51st (Highland) Division 1914-1918Bewsher, F. W. (Frederick William)
History
The History of the 51st (Highland) Division 1914-1918
Bewsher, F. W. (Frederick William)
Great Britain. Army. Division, 51st (Highland); World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Great Britain
Meanwhile about the south-western end of the village, in the trenches in
that vicinity and in the sunken road running to Cantaing Mill, bodies of
the enemy continued to offer a magnificent resistance. "D" Company of
the 4th Gordon Highlanders managed to force their way through the wire
into a position on the Cantaing-Flesquières road, but could make no
farther progress. Two Stokes guns were then brought into action, but
even these failed to dislodge the enemy. Indeed, it was not until 3
P.M., when one of the tanks _en route_ for Fontaine arrived, that the
pocket was finally cleared. This gallant stand made by the enemy had
disorganised this attack, which came to a standstill with "B" and "D"
Companies of the 4th Gordon Highlanders consolidating the line north and
north-east of the village, and with "A" and "C" Companies connecting
them on the right flank with the 29th Division, who were by this time in
Nine Wood. Subsequently three squadrons of the Queen's Bays and the 9th
Cavalry Brigade M.G. Squadron arrived, and took up defensive positions
round the perimeter of the village in conjunction with the 4th Gordon
Highlanders.
While this operation was in progress, the 7th Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders, on the left of the 4th Gordon Highlanders, could not join
in the advance until 11.20 A.M., as they were held up by heavy fire from
the village of Anneux. However, at that hour the village was captured by
the 62nd Division, and they were able to move forward again.
By noon the advance had again been completely held up about 300 yards
from the Cantaing Line by heavy enfilade fire from Cantaing on the right
and Bourlon Wood on the left. As no tanks had as yet arrived, the
battalion therefore began to dig in.
During this time and until the end of the day low-flying enemy
aeroplanes, sometimes only 150 feet from the ground, patrolled our
lines, observed the position of our troops, disclosed them by dropping
lights, and fired with machine-guns on the men.
Meanwhile, the 4th Gordon Highlanders having been led away rather to the
right to deal with Cantaing, touch had been lost between the two
battalions. A company of the 4th Seaforth Highlanders was therefore
ordered forward to fill the gap between the Gordons and the Argylls.
At 3.30 P.M. the situation was cleared up by the arrival of seven tanks,
which moved forward, followed by the 7th Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders and the company of the 4th Seaforth Highlanders. At the
sight of the tanks the Germans in the Cantaing Line surrendered, 130 men
being taken prisoners.
The advance on Fontaine Notre Dame was thus begun, and was carried out
without any opposition being met beyond a few shots fired by riflemen in
Bourlon Wood. The village was in our hands by 5 P.M.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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