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
As a result of these operations, the defending troops had become still
more disorganised; but though units were considerably intermingled, and
the number of officers and N.C.O.'s still surviving had further
diminished, the men remained disposed in such a manner that the Division
continued to maintain an uninterrupted line of resistance.
At noon (11th April) the line was held as follows: from the Canal de la
Lawe on the Divisional right boundary to north of Le Vert Lannot lay
three companies of the 7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, supported
by the fourth company with a company of the 4th Gordon Highlanders. The
line was then continued towards the north-east corner of La Tombe Willot
by two companies of the 4th Gordons and 200 reinforcements of the 4th
Seaforth Highlanders. The line then curved round to the north of La
Tombe Willot, and was held for a distance of 600 yards by elements of
the 5th and 6th Seaforth Highlanders, and of the 6th Gordon Highlanders,
disposed in depth. The remainder of the reinforcements of the 4th
Seaforth Highlanders held the line along the Le Cornet Malo-Croix
Marmuse road. Two companies of the 8th Royal Scots then linked up the
4th Seaforth reinforcements to the 2/6 Warwicks, who were holding the
line from the church at Paradis to a point 300 yards south of Le
Bouzateux farm, held by elements of the 6th and 7th Black Watch and 7th
Gordon Highlanders. On their left came the 5th D.C.L.I., holding the
line as far northwards as the railway crossing west of Merville, while
further elements of the 6th and 7th Black Watch and some of the 8th
Royal Scots manned the railway on the left flank of the D.C.L.I. facing
southwards.
The reserves were now reduced to one company of the 39th Machine Gun
Battalion and the 404th Field Company, R.E., about Pacaut Wood, the
remaining three companies of the 39th Machine Gun Battalion being
already in position between Le Cornet Malo and Calonne.
It will thus be seen that though the line, as has been stated, was
continuous, it can only be described as patchwork; and it had become
evident that no orders as regards a properly co-ordinated advance or
retirement, which either the Divisional or brigade commanders might
issue, were likely to be put into operation successfully. All that could
be expected was that each unit would conform to the movement of the
troops on its flanks, the success of this conformation being dependent
on the leadership of the local commanders, who in many cases were junior
officers if not junior N.C.O.'s.
The enemy continued his efforts during the afternoon, with the result
that the line was forced back so as to run through Le Vert Lannot and La
Tombe Willot. On the left, however, the fighting was not so severe,
though the enemy succeeded in occupying the whole of Paradis.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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