The Territorial Divisions, 1914-1918Stirling, John
History
The Territorial Divisions, 1914-1918
Stirling, John
World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Great Britain
Mr. Sparrow in his _Fifth Army_ does not give details regarding
the work of the 58th, but on p. 85 he speaks of their resistance
at Tergnier on the 22nd, and in a note there occurs this sentence:
“What could have been more valuable to the Allied cause than was this
prolonged resistance at a most critical time and place?” On p. 283
there is another note which mentions that the right of the Division
was not attacked, “their left had fought magnificently.”
The Division was taken north early in April, and was immediately to
the south of Villers Bretonneux when that village was captured by the
enemy on 24th April. They were heavily engaged on that and the two
succeeding days during which the village and certain other positions
were recaptured. The Division again had serious losses.
In the telegraphic despatch of 13th September, 1918, as to the work
of various divisions, Sir Douglas Haig said: “The 58th Division,
which held the right of the British line on March 21st, attacked on
August 8th, north of the Somme, and captured Sailly Laurette. In
five days of severe fighting the Division captured many prisoners
and guns, and performed very gallant service on the left flank of
our advance south of the Somme. On the 24th August it again attacked
in the sector north of the Somme, and once more did gallant work,
overcoming strong hostile resistance at Maricourt and Marrières Wood.”
The despatch of 21st December, 1918, shows, paragraph 16, that the
58th was in the III. Corps, Fourth Army, when it was employed in
the attack on 8th August. That date and succeeding days are dealt
with in paragraphs 15 to 18 of the written despatch. In paragraph
15 Sir Douglas Haig remarked that: “A strong local attack launched
by the enemy on the 6th August, south of Morlancourt, led to severe
fighting, and undoubtedly rendered the task of the III. Corps more
difficult.”
On the 8th the 58th took Sailly Laurette, but were held up at
Chipilly Spur. With some assistance this was cleared on the 9th. On
the 10th a further advance was made by the III. Corps. The fighting
8th-11th August is now designated “The Battle of Amiens.”
Paragraph 21 deals with the attack by the III. Corps on 22nd August,
the 47th, 12th and 18th of that Corps and the 3rd Australian and 38th
Divisions being employed in the first line of attacking troops. The
58th reinforced the 47th in the afternoon. Albert was taken and the
left of the Fourth Army brought forward.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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