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
However, by noon a continuous line had been formed joining the left of
the 154th Brigade to the right of the French.
The troops were closely engaged throughout the day, and it became
necessary to move forward companies from all three battalions of the
152nd Brigade to strengthen the line in places where it was becoming
weakened. On the left the successful resistance of the Germans in
Paradis had made it necessary to occupy a line which curved round the
eastern side of that village some 300 yards from it, while on the right
flank the 6th Seaforth Highlanders, after some fighting with enemy
machine-guns, established themselves on a line facing north some 700
yards south of Espilly.
On the 154th Brigade front no particular incidents occurred. Strong
patrols attempted to advance and make ground towards the enemy, but they
found him everywhere in strength, and were unable to get forward. For a
time the high ground on the extreme right was harassed by machine-guns.
However, a Stokes mortar from the 154th Trench-Mortar Battery was
brought into action against them, and after firing forty rounds silenced
them. A patrol subsequently found twelve dead Germans in one machine-gun
nest that had thus been dealt with.
So ended another day of severe fighting. The 152nd Brigade had taken
over the whole of the front on the left, the 5th and 6th Seaforth
Highlanders having been employed, either in strengthening the line held
by the 6th Gordon Highlanders, or in protecting their flanks, while the
153rd Brigade, which had been reorganised during the previous night, lay
in close support to it.
In the day's operations eighty-one prisoners with a number of
machine-guns and trench-mortars were captured. The forward guns of the
Divisional artillery had been constantly in action, moving continually
in close support to the attacking troops and making every effort to help
the infantry forward. Their activities were, however, equally hampered
by the blindness of the country.
On the following day no serious infantry action took place until 4 P.M.
During the morning the 4th Gordon Highlanders, who had extended their
left so as to take over the front as far as the main drive in the Bois
de Courton, attempted to make ground towards Espilly by means of strong
patrols.
They, however, found the enemy as alert and as strong as ever, and could
make no appreciable progress.
Early in the day it was arranged that the 7th Black Watch should operate
during the afternoon with a view to establishing themselves in a
position on the south-west edge of the Bois de Courton, north of
Paradis, from which they could cover with their fire an attack to be
delivered by the French against that village.
To make this operation possible, it was necessary to advance the left of
the line, so as to allow the 7th Black Watch to get into this position;
the 6th Black Watch were therefore detailed to carry out an operation
with this intention.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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