The Seventh Manchesters: July 1916 to March 1919Wilson, S. J.
History
The Seventh Manchesters: July 1916 to March 1919
Wilson, S. J.
Great Britain. Army. Manchester Regiment. Battalion, 7th (Territorial); World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Great Britain
The La Signy Farm fighting was not yet over, for on the morning of
August 3rd, while "B" company were in the front line, the enemy put down
a heavy barrage on all our positions, particularly on the Triangle.
Then, just as dawn broke, a party of about forty Huns rapidly started
across No Man's Land, but the 7th were too much for them. They stuck to
their posts and rapidly emptied Lewis guns and rifles amongst them, and
when they were sufficiently close greeted them also with bombs. The
Boche became disorganised and scattered, some groping about for gaps in
our hastily constructed wire, but it was a hopeless business and the
remaining plucky ones cleared off in disgust. Then Lt. Pell-Ilderton
followed out with a small party, and finding a couple of dead brought
them in. The Huns had carefully removed all evidences of identification
before the venture, but one man had a black and white cockade in his
cap, which proved him to be a Prussian. As the previous division was
known to be Wurtemburger, we immediately notified this fact to H.Q.
Further proof was afforded by a slightly wounded Boche who, having
apparently got lost, had wandered into a post occupied by the 6th.
That day we were relieved by the L.F's. and went back into divisional
reserve, this time to billets in Louvencourt, and there received
congratulations from various people for our excellent work during the
last long spell in the line. The final incident furnished Col. Manger
with an extra battalion motto: "What we have, we hold." For the attack
on the Triangle, Military Crosses were awarded to Lieut. Gresty and
2nd-Lt. Gorst, while Sgt. Horsfield, who had already earned the D.C.M.
and Belgian Croix de Guerre when with the 9th Manchesters, received a
Military Medal. Five other ranks were similarly decorated.
The battalion was augmented about this time by the arrival of the cadre
of the 2nd 7th Manchesters. The 66th division had suffered severely in
March and as it was undergoing re-organisation, all the second line
units, or what remained of them, were sent to the 42nd division. Capt.
Nelson also returned after a long absence since his wound in May, 1915,
and was given command of "A" company, Capt. Allen, M.C., having been
detailed to take charge of a divisional L.G. school.
CHAPTER IX.
Hammering the Hun.
SERRE RIDGE AND WARLENCOURT.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account