The Enemy Held.

At 5 o'clock on the morning of April 5th the enemy commenced an artillery bombardment which must rank as one of the heaviest and most sustained the Regiment ever experienced. It extended along the whole Divisional front; and from guns of all calibres shells were poured down over the forward, support and rear positions as far back as Bus-Ies-Artois and Bertrancourt, almost without interruption from early morning until the late afternoon. It furiously searched every known and likely forward position, and in the back areas batteries and villages and roadways were pounded by guns of the heaviest calibres. Its extraordinary depth and intensity indicated an attempt by the enemy to renew the progress which had been so abruptly stayed a few days previously. It was not long before these attacks developed. At 8.15 a.m. reports were received from the 3rd Brigade that the enemy was attacking from the right of the Serre Road to the left boundary south of the Quarries. The attack was beaten off; but when renewed at 10 a.m. the enemy succeeded in capturing a short length of trench east of La Signy Farm, and the Farm itself, the small garrison of three sections of Rifle Brigade troops who comprised this advanced post being overwhelmed. At no other point did the enemy make any progress, and he suffered very severely from our artillery and machine gun fire, his casualties being estimated at 500 killed. Prisoners captured on the front of the left Brigade stated that their ultimate objective was Colincamps, also that many page 286 new batteries had been brought up for the attack. At 2 p.m. an attack was made against the right of the Divisional sector, but similarly failed, the only party of Germans who reached our line being taken prisoners. Under cover of this sustained bombardment attacks were launched by the enemy during the day along the whole Army front; but nowhere did he achieve more than very local successes. This may be said to have signalled the termination of the great German drive in the Battle of St. Quentin.

The positions occupied by the Regiment in support had to weather the storm of this extraordinary and relentless artillery bombardment, and a large number of casualties were sustained among both officers and men. During the afternoon an enemy two-seater aeroplane was brought down by Lewis gun fire directed from one of the posts occupied by 4th Company of the 1st Battalion, and the pilot and observer made prisoners. Rain commenced to fall late in the afternoon, after which the situation became comparatively quiet.

On April 6th the 1st Battalion of the Regiment received orders to return to the front line and take over the sector previously occupied. As the relief was about to commence, the S.O.S. signal appeared on the left and was repeated along the line. All movement in respect of reliefs was delayed for one hour. No infantry attacks developed, although there was a considerable amount of shelling. In consequence of a misunderstanding some of the relieving troops did not reach the line until a late hour on the following morning. Heavy rain fell almost continuously throughout the night, and the approaches and trenches were in an even worse state than formerly. The tour lasted until the 10th, and during that time the weather was exceedingly stormy, and the conditions under which the garrison maintained the line indescribably bad and exhausting. There were periodical bursts of shelling over our front and support lines, but on the whole not much damage was done. Our own artillery displayed considerable activity over the same period, directing sudden bursts of fire to the enemy's forward and back areas. On the night of the 10th the Battalion was relieved by Canterbury and returned to its old positions of support in front of Auchonvillers, Englebelmer, and Mailly Maillet.

The 2nd Battalion of the Regiment took over its former front line sector, from "Y" Ravine to Hamel, on the night of the 7th. Enemy activity on the 8th was confined to trench mortar fire, but on the following day, between 10 a.m. and 12 noon, the front and support lines were heavily bombarded with high explosive and 77 mm. shells, and during the afternoon low-flying aeroplanes patrolled the system apparently with the object of determining the damage done. Finer weather and improved observation on the 10th disclosed considerable movement of enemy troops and transport over the back areas, suggesting that a relief was in progress. On the night of the 13th the Battalion was relieved by the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Brigade, and after a long and exhausting journey, at 3 o'clock on the following morning reached its bivouac area in rear of Beaussart and south of Bertrancourt. On the 13th the 1st Battalion moved back to the Purple Line, where it occupied a series of posts extending from Sailly-au-Bois in the north to Courcelles in the south.

The period of exceptional activities in which the Regiment had been engaged as a result of the startling German advance was now at an end. The general situation on the Divisional front had become more settled; and the decisive check which the enemy received on April 5th when he attempted to renew his advance after a terrific artillery preparation, was gradually followed by conditions approaching those of trench-to-trench warfare. The new positions taken up had of course to be established, and new defensive lines constructed in the rear; but as far as the front line defences were concerned the continued broken weather and the consequent deplorable state of the trenches made anything in that direction impossible. The period of rest and training completed in the areas of Caestre and Hondeghem had enabled the Regiment to resist some of the worst conditions of warfare in a remarkable manner, following upon its forced march from the north. Continuous standing in water-logged trenches threatened a serious state of trench feet; but the number of such cases evacuated was actually comparatively few. Casualties from enemy action were, however, heavy, as indicated by the fact that between March 27th and April 5th the total incurred by the 2nd Battalion of the Regiment was 11 killed page 288 and 59 wounded, while the 1st Battalion suffered to an even greater extent. The penetration by the enemy to such a great depth over the fronts of two Armies naturally created serious dislocation of the main lines of supply, and the service had to be maintained under the very greatest difficulties. Any shortages of rations experienced by the Regiment, at least over the first several days of the period under review, were met when in support by drawing upon the poultry and vegetables, to say nothing of the contents of the well-stocked wine cellars, left behind by the civilian population in its flight; and oft-times the menu was one of chicken and champagne, topped off with some of the finest liqueurs,—surely great fare under such conditions.

During the period from March 24th to April 14th the New Zealand Division captured a total of 430 prisoners, 127 machine guns, and five trench mortars. The Division's casualties amounted to: Killed—29 officers and 482 other ranks; wounded—97 officers and 1,748 other ranks. This high total affords some indication of the severity of the period.

The Division received the congratulations of the Commander of the IV. Corps for its "courage and endurance." In a communication dated March 28th, General Harper expressed his confidence that the troops of the Division would continue to hold the line against all attacks, and that confidence was not misplaced. For the operations subsequently carried out the Division received the congratulations of the Commander of the Second Army (in which it was formerly incorporated), General Godley (Commanding the XXII. Corps), and General Monash (Commanding the 4th Australian Division).

The Regiment remained but a short time in reserve, but during that period every opportunity was availed of to restore lost vitality. Baths were improvised by the 1st Battalion at Sailly-au-Bois, and by the 2nd Battalion at Bertrancourt; the luxury of a hot tub after five weeks of filth and weariness being something to be remembered. Equipment and clothing were cleaned and repaired, and all possible rest afforded. The new lines of defence constructed along the rear of the Divisional front were reconnoitred by officers and n.c.o.'s, and every opportunity taken to become familiar with the country. Throughout the 15th considerable enemy page break

Brig.-General R. Young, C.B., C.M.G.,
D.S.O., (d.), [f.]

page 289 movement was observed at points fronting the Divisional sector, while from the 37th Division on our left similar activity was reported. Special precautions were adopted in view of a possible attack; and on the morning of the 16th our artillery-directed heavy fire over the areas where the enemy concentration had been observed. About this time several officers of the 14th Division of the French Army arrived and effected a reconnaissance of the Purple Line; and at a later date a considerable force of French troops, embracing some of the crack Regiments of that Army, arrived in the area in rear.