XXV Mailly-Maillet

—The French at Verdun.

During the next two days, news of the real magnitude of the disaster commenced to come through. Orders for the Division to entrain for the Somme were received.

1/Auckland, who were at full strength, were commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel W. W. Alderman, C.M.G., with Lieutenant W. P. Gray, M.C., as adjutant. The Company Commanders were:—

• 3rd Company: Captain Coates, M.C.
• 6th Company: Captain Alexander.
• 15th Company: Captain Holland, M.C.
• 16th Company: Captain H. R, Vercoe.

Dr. Ardagh was still with the Battalion, while the Rev. Grigg had taken the place of Padre Gavin.

2/Auckland, who were also at full strength, were commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel S. S. Allen, D.S.O., with Captain Tuck, M.C, as adjutant. Company Commanders were:—

• 3rd Company: Captain Paterson.
• 6th Company. Captain Moncrief.
• 15th Company: Captain McArthur.
• 16th Company: Captain McFarland.

The Rev. C. J. Dobson had been with the Battalion ever since the Hill 63 days, and was very well known to all. Dr. Harpur, the R.M.O., on the other hand, had only recently joined up.

On the evening of Sunday, March 24th, the Battalions entrained at Cassel station. The villagers turned out to see the last of their guests, who were in a distinctly hilarious mood, as the result of Saturday having been pay-day.

"Bon soir, mademoiselle, you promenade with me?"

"After de prochaine guerre, per-r-r-aps!"

"Hello, Marie! How's the beer standing?"

"Allons gourmand! You have drink all de biere—no more left for nex soldat."

"Ah! Madeleine! You embrassez-moi for bonne chance?"

"Brigand! You kiss beaucoup mademoiselles—me write your fiancee—tell her you no good!"

"You plenty zig-zag—too much vin-blanc!"

And under all the merry badinage ran a deeper tone, for after all this was a supreme hour in the agony of France. Who knew what might befall if these men failed to stay the onward rush to Amiens? They were not Frenchmen, but they were the friends of France, and in a few hours they would step into the breach and hold for the sake of France.

"Dieu vous aide, messieurs! Dieu vous garde! Vous combattez pour nous! St. Jeanne d'Arc vous aide."

All night the trains were running down toward the Somme, St. Omer, Etaples and Abbeville, until midway through the morning they reached Hangest-sur-Somme, where the battalions detrained at the little station familiar enough to the men of 1916. A battalion as it arrived dumped its heavier stores and set out at once on foot, or by motor-lorry, for the divisional concentration point, which was somewhere in the general direction of Pont Noyelles. 1/Auckland were fortunate, and caught the motor-lorries, which conveyed them to some distance the other side of Amiens. 2/Auckland set out to march. The day was clear and fine, with a cool breeze blowing, and rapid progress was made. For the first few kilometres the road was unfamiliar, but then, at the foot of a slope, was an estaminet known to not a few, and in half-anhour's time the companies were taking a brief spell in the market square of Picquigny. Once through the town and marching along the high road toward Amiens, refugees were met with in increasing numbers. Some of them had waggons piled high with their household stuff, some only the clothes they stood up in. All were weary and worn, and many of them very hopeless. Behind them were the little homes they loved so much, and they were moving, where they knew not, hoping only that they might escape the Bosche. The sight of page 196these poor folk hardened the resolution of the marching men. The Hun should not pass.

The Battalions bivouacked, 1/Auckland at Dernancourt and 2/Auckland in an orchard close to Breilly. Here final preparations were made. Packs and greatcoats were stored away, and, with fighting gear only, the men were prepared for immediate action. At midnight 2/Auckland were roused from their chilly bivouac and proceeded by motor-lorry through Amiens to Pont Noyelles. From here the last stage of the journey was commenced. Early in the morning the Battalions were moving in the chill dark hours before dawn to Hedauville, near where the Division was being assembled. There was no stay. Dawn came, and then hour after hour the steady tramp, tramp, tramp along the high road ate into the tale of kilometres. There was a short spell for a cold breakfast, and then once more the steady move forward through a countryside that was curiously deserted. One thing only was certain, and that was that where the march stopped there the fighting would begin. Men were desperately tired and footsore, yet scarcely anyone dropped out. Albert was passed some distance on the right hand side. The stronger took a heavier burden upon themselves, carried extra panniers, bags of rations, or took a comrade's rifle, and so the steady march went on. Once the road was blocked by a six-inch howitzer battery that had been retreating for some days. Two or three wandering Scotchmen and Tommies were met with, but no sign of an army or of resistance was seen, until just outside Hedauville, where several tanks of the new "whippet" type were manoeuvring. A long-range naval gun outside of the village was firing at intervals. By mid-day two-thirds of the Division had assembled in a large field between Hedauville and Mailly-Maillet, a village some twenty kilometres from Amiens, and about the same distance from Doullens. For an hour there was a welcome spell, during which time final arrangements were made and orders issued. One thing was clear. The New Zealanders had marched straight into the gap that had developed between the 4th and 5th Corps. Somewhere ahead of them were the page 197enemy, who had found the weak spot, and were racing desperately to pass through before it should be closed. If they succeeded the fall of Amiens and of Doullens would be almost a certainty. At all costs this gap had to be closed, and closed without an hour's delay. Everyone was in the highest spirits, and fit for anything. No one was in the least daunted by the events of the last few days. The Tommies had broken, but what of that? This was the New Zealand Division going in to save the day. What the Turks had failed to do on Chunuk Bair and Rhododendron, the Huns should not do here on the Somme.

As the Wellington Battalions had not yet arrived, the 1/Brigade was reorganised, and for the time being consisted of the two Auckland Battalions and the 2/N.Z.R.B. The plan of battle was for the 1/Brigade to advance astride of the Mailly-Maillet-Pusieux Road in the direction of Serre, while the 2/Brigade on the right were to go through Auchonvillers, and if possible reach Beaumont-Hamel. Soon after two o'clock the leading battalions were moving off with intervals between the platoons.

The Germans, flushed with victory, had crossed the old battlefield. Their leading troops had been assigned so many kilometres for that day, on the completion of which they were to be withdrawn and rested. Eagerly they pressed on to complete their task. They passed the old German front line, they passed the British line of 1916, and in high spirits set foot on what for four years had been inviolate soil. Amiens was before them—Amiens, which meant victory for the German arms; Amiens, which would give the supremacy of the world and "Deutschland! Deutschland uber alles!" They were not far from the city of their desire. At any moment, as they topped one of the rolling chalk ridges, they might catch a distant glimpse of the spires and belfries of the famous town. For four days their advance had never ceased, and they had met with no serious opposition. Their patrols, advancing boldly, and with no great amount of caution, suddenly encountered the leading sections of the 1/N.Z.R.B. There was page 198a shout of alarm, shots, and then a moment's fusilade. The Hun advance guards were driven in, and the riflemen occupied an outpost line in front of Mailly-Maillet, to cover the advance of the 1st and 2/Brigades.

1/Auckland advanced along the Serre road, in threes, with intervals between the platoons. In an orchard just outside the village they passed two English eighteen-pounder guns, which for the last four days had been retiring and fighting all the way. Three hundred yards further on, near the "Windmill," two Hun machine-guns opened fire on the column. The Aucklanders immediately swung half-right and deployed, with the 15th and 16th Companies leading and the left flank just touching on the Serre road. They advanced in artillery formation toward the "apple-trees" and a long hedge, which ran across the front. Here the enemy fire became intense, and at this point casualties commenced to occur. Henry Beery, one of the oldest soldiers with the Battalion, a very brave man, was killed. From the hedge the ground fell away for some little distance, and then, after a small level space, rose again to the Serre Ridge. At the foot of the ridge, and just to the right of the sugar refinery the 16th were checked. Many men had fallen. Lieutenant Swayne, one of the company's most gallant soldiers, was wounded. The machine-gun barrage was too heavy to pass, and so a halt was made in a sunken road, while the men recovered their breath, and ways and means were found to continue the advance. In the meanwhile, the 15th Company, under Captain Holland, had gone well forward. Getting into a tangle of old saps, and led by their Company Commander, Sergeant-Major Rogers, Prendergast and other brave men, they bombed forward, past the chalk pits, through the Bowery and into the enemy positions beyond. Three machine-guns were taken and a number of the enemy, who were fleeing in all directions, were killed. This brought the 15th Company well ahead of the 16th, took off much of the pressure, and opened up the way for a further move. In the meanwhile, Captain Vercoe had worked with great energy to reorganise his men, Captain Coates had pushed up reinforcements from the page 1993rd Company, and shortly before dusk everything was ready. The Lewis gunners, coming practically out into the open, engaged the enemy guns and drew nearly all the fire upon themselves. They suffered heavily. Few of them were left, but their purpose was achieved.

From the sunken road to the enemy guns there was only some hundred and twenty yards of open, gentle slope. As darkness commenced to fall, Captain Vercoe gave the signal. "Come on, boys; rush them, rush them!" The Waikatos, and the 3rd Auckland with them, went up the hill in the teeth of the German fire. Lieutenant John Allen led the charge with magnificent courage. Looker, Moffitt and Brewer were amongst the first to break into the German line. The Aucklanders closed in with the cold steel, and in a few moments the Huns were a crowd of panic-stricken fugitives. It was in vain that their officers endeavoured to rally them—a few were taken prisoner, many were killed, and the remainder ran. Night fell as victory was secure. The sugar refinery, on the left of the Serre road, taken by the Rifle Brigade, and set on fire by the German artillery, was burning luridly. It was a wild night. Numbers of the enemy were on the front, and several times they came up against the Auckland posts. Once a number of them were observed to be deploying out on the road ready to counter-attack. Lance-Corporal Bray and another man, going out by themselves, reached the flank of this party and dispersed them with Lewis gun fire.

The Huns made no further attempts to retake this portion of the line, but all next day they bombarded it heavily with minenwerfer and artillery fire. Many casualties occurred, including Lieutenant Allen, who was killed, and Lieutenant Quartley wounded. Throughout the whole of these operations Captain Vercoe's conduct had been most distinguished. He had led his company with great determination and ability, and now he performed one of the coolest and most valiant deeds done by any member of the Regiment throughout the war. Two of his posts were isolated. They had been heavily shelled, and from the main position it was obvious that casualties must page 200have occurred. Captain Vercoe left the trench and commenced to walk overland to the post. For a few seconds nothing happened. Then he was observed from the enemy line. They turned a machine-gun upon him. He continued his walk. Two light minenwerfers tore up the ground all round, but he never faltered or even quickened his pace. He reached the post, entered it and found two wounded men. He carried one of them hack to safety, and then returned and brought the other in also. The enemy never slackened their fire. The minenwerfer shells repeatedly burst within yards of him, and the smoke and dust of the explosions drifted across his path. Several bullets pierced his clothes, while his puttees were in ribands. It was a magnificent exhibition of coolness and valour.

Captain Coates once more distinguished himself greatly.

2/Auckland, in reserve during the attack, settled down on the outskirts of the village, expecting to stay there the night. They saw the wounded and prisoners go through, and then salvaged the deserted houses for anything that would make the cold of the night more tolerable. Blankets, scraps of canvas, odds and ends of female raiment, were requisitioned, and everyone lay down to sleep in fair comfort. Hardly, however, were all settled than orders came for the Battalion to move up as far as the "apple-trees," preparatory to relieving the 2/N.Z.R.B. On completion of the move, there was a long wait in the bitter cold. Groups here and there huddled up under their oil-sheets, and endeavoured to get a little sleep. Tired as they were it was too cold, and before long nearly all were stamping about in a vain endeavour to keep warm. At last, in the early hours of the morning, the relief took place, the 15th and 16th Companies taking over the front posts, which had been established in the old communication trenches which ran from the Hebuterne road to the old front line, now held by the enemy. On the right of the Serre road, 1/Auckland had reached the rim of the saucer-shaped valley which stretched from Beaumont-Hamel to Hebuterne, Rossignol Wood and Puisieux. Their observation was good, and as the ground commenced to fall away almost immediately in front page break

HebutÉrne.

page break page 201of them their position was a strong one. From one post on the extreme right of 2/Auckland it was possible to observe for a considerable distance along the Serre road and across the valley to the long slope on the other side. Further over, however, the ground rose slightly, and the enemy line was everywhere slightly higher. The long hedge running in front of La Signy Farm effectually screened all movements on the part of the enemy, and enabled them to muster unobserved for their attacks on the posts.

Dawn came, and in the first faint light the Huns were seen streaming across the Serre road into their front trench without apparently the least attempt at concealment. They were evidently an assault battalion that had been used to easy victories, light casualties and every consideration from their opponents.

"Look at the b—— b——s coming up the road!" In a trice men were up on the fire-step, and it was not long before the road was clear. To reach their position a number of the Huns were compelled to cross the road in full view of the Auckland snipers. When they could no longer walk over with their hands in their pockets they tried running and crawling, with not much greater success. For two or three hours the shooting was good, and the Aucklanders enjoyed themselves immensely. So great was their ascendancy that although the Hun line was packed with men, scarcely a shot came from them all the morning, while the Aucklanders, right up on their parapet, showed themselves freely, and shot at anything, adding insult to injury by shooting the enemy with captured Mauser rifles.

By the middle of the morning the Huns had completed their preparations for attack. Their machine-guns and trench mortars opened up a heavy and continuous fire, to which it was not possible to make any effective reply, while the artillery that they had rapidly pushed forward barraged behind Battalion Headquarters and made things particularly lively round about the sugar refinery and Euston Dump. Down the old communication saps, that led from one line to another, thepage 202Huns developed their attack by the "infiltration" method mainly. They did not rush large bodies of men across the open, but coolly, scientifically and with determination they worked forward, taking every scrap of cover, bombing down saps and seeking for weak spots which they could overwhelm, or empty and unguarded places through which they could enter, and by flanking movements gain what they could not get by direct frontal assault. 2/Auckland were at a tremendous disadvantage in having no bombs. The Huns were plentifully supplied. They crept up to within a few yards of the posts, and from there bombed in perfect security, while the men in the posts were helpless to retaliate. They were too few to sally out and counter-attack. All they could do was to endure and hang on, and with rifle and bayonet stop the rushes which every now and again were made against them.

A Hun scout peers round the traverse. It is a moment before he can focus his gaze, and in that moment a rifle has been aimed and fired. He drops forward, dead, but so suddenly smitten that the half-smile is still upon his face. His comrades are close behind, and in a moment the air is full of the stick-bombs. Some are caught and hurled back before they explode, others burst and scatter splinters all round. A wounded man staggers out and is dragged away by the stretcher-bearers, while the remainder of the little post, huddled up against the bank, so as to obtain all the shelter available, await the sudden rush. It comes, but the rifles are ready, and the foremost Huns fall dead. The remainder draw back, and once more commence to bomb. All through the afternoon they were alternately rushing and bombing, while their machinegun and trench mortar fire never slackened. Captain McArthur, who had been a great inspiration to his men, fighting in the front line with them, fell mortally wounded. Other officers and many men were down, but on the right, Sergeant Faithful dominated the situation, and not a Hun got in, nor was an inch of ground lost.

On the left of the 15th Company the bombs came raining into the trench, and, despite the fact that no casualties had page 203occurred, a new officer commenced to withdraw his platoon. It was a critical moment. The whole army was depending on the New Zealand Division to hold its ground. 2/Auckland were holding the most delicate portion of the divisional front, and the left post of the 15th Company was the key to the whole position. Captain Tuck, from Battalion Headquarters, saw the retirement, and dashing out intercepted the retreating men and ordered them back. He was obeyed, and with Sergeant Yorke at the head, they rushed back and retook the trench, into which the enemy had already penetrated. Shortly afterwards Lieutenant Harrison took charge of this part of the line, and under his direction the post was defended with the greatest determination against constant attacks. The night was quiet, except for a little bombing, but next day the attacks from La Signy were renewed, and, though they were held off, the 15th Company's losses were heavy, and that evening they were relieved. Massing under cover of the hedge, the enemy now launched a determined attack overland against the 16th Company and the battalion on their left. Half an hour's heavy artillery and machine-gun fire preceded the attack, which broke down completely under the flanking fire poured in by the Waikatos' Lewis guns.

Throughout the long hard days of the 27th and 28th, the line opposite La Signy Farm had been held by 2/Auckland against an enemy superior in numbers and well supplied with bombs, who, despite their advantages of position and their superiority in machine-gun, trench mortar and artillery fire, had failed completely in their attempt to break through. The Brigades of the New Zealand Field Artillery had been racing south from Ypres, and late in the afternoon of the 27th the leading batteries were coming up the Doullens road. All next day they continued to arrive, and by the morning of the 29th were in position and firing. The new line was secure.

Lying in front of the New Zealand line, and in some parts dominating it, was the ridge and farmhouse of La Signy. Possession of this would very greatly improve the strength of the line, and would drive the enemy everywhere into the valley, page 204leaving him in such a position that a general assault on his part would be very much hampered by the lack of a suitable jumping-off point. It was resolved to take La Signy and to entrust 2/Auckland with the task. The attack was planned as a pure surprise, and was to take place at 2 p.m. on the afternoon of March 30th. There was no preliminary artillery bombardment, but at zero hour a shrapnel barrage went down on the Hun line, and at the same moment the infantry leaped from the trenches, deployed out and went straight forward. The Hun sentries were evidently extremely careless, and fearing nothing, stood down and kept their heads below the parapet when the shelling commenced. It was the most impossible and most improbable time for an attack to take place. The greater part of the trench garrison were asleep in their dugouts. Some were writing home on British Y.M.C.A. paper. They were in great numbers—the trench was packed with them. Machine-guns were mounted every few yards. So sure, so confident were the Huns, in their own strength, in their feeling of certainty that their opponents would remain entirely on the defensive, that the idea of a surprise attack over that two hundred yards of level grass field never entered their heads. The Aucklanders were half way across before they were seen. They were on the parapet of the German trench before the machine-gun crews could reach their weapons. The 3rd Company, on the right, and the Waikatos on the left, went straight in with rifle, bayonet and bomb. Many of the enemy were killed actually in the trench. Many more were shot down as they endeavoured to escape. Numbers of them surrendered. In two places only was there strong opposition. Right in the centre of the position, at the end of Southern Avenue, an enemy strong point held out. A platoon of the Waikatos, advancing up the sap, found the enemy on the alert. For a moment the whole line of them were exposed to the direct fire of an enemy gunner. Fourteen fell—every man shot through the head. Two or three more were wounded, including Captain McFarland. The attack here was held up until Colonel Allen, in response to an urgent message, came up to the spot, page 205and with him the trench mortar officer, Captain Morgan, who with all speed brought one of his guns into play. This played havoc with the Huns, who speedily surrendered. On the extreme right, by the Serre road, another post still held out, but a bombing party of the 3rd Company under Sergeant Buckthought quickly reduced it, while the Colonel and the Padre looked on. This established touch with 1/Wellington on the right. During the night Captain Napier, who had come up to take charge of the Waikatos in the left sector, completed the whole operation by co-operating with the 4/N.Z.R.E. in squeezing the enemy out of the only portion of high ground they still retained. Everywhere now the New Zealanders held the high ground, and the enemy were forced down into the valley. There was every reason to fear a counter-attack, but it did not come, and the night passed quietly enough, the outstanding event being the capture of the "Hun Major" by a patrol party. This rather ornate-looking individual was found wandering about No-Man's-Land, and being evidently of a "kamaradely" disposition was "souvenired" and conducted to a Company Headquarters, where someone with the reputation of being a German scholar pronounced him to be of "field rank." Captured majors are scarce, and the captive was conducted with considerable state to Battalion, who in perfect good faith forwarded him to Brigade. Here he was received with great cordiality and generally made to feel at home. By this time the Hun, who had received several "nips" of rum, had become very good company, and all would have gone well if some more accurate German linguist had not made the discovery that the alleged "major" was only a quarter-master-sergeant. He was promptly relegated to the nearest prisoner cage, but, if he has a sense of humour, he must often laugh to himself at the way in which he was received by the British General and his staff. One of the prisoners had done remarkably well for himself during the advance. He had evidently made a practice of searching all prisoners, and as a result was in possession of sixty treasury notes and also some hundreds of francs. He was a valuable prize, and was very much appre-page 206ciated by those who searched him. In the attack a most valuable position had been gained. One hundred and forty of the enemy dead were counted on the sector, and there were many more who had been shot during their flight lying further down the slope. One hundred and fifty prisoners were taken and also forty-two machine-guns, two light minenwerfers and one Lewis gun. 2/Auckland lost 130 men killed and wounded. This operation was surely one of the most successful surprise attacks of the war. When it is considered that the attackers were greatly fatigued and were part of an army that had been heavily defeated, and that the Huns were flushed with victory, the full merit of the achievement becomes obvious. Small as the operation was, compared with the mighty happenings of those critical days, it was yet the first successful attack made by Allied troops since the opening of the German offensive.

Easter Sunday, March 31st, 2/Auckland were relieved by 2/Wellington, and went back in reserve to Courcelles-au-Bois. It was time, for everyone was tired out. Since leaving Zuytpeene men had not had their boots off for a week, and there had been very little sleep for anyone. Fighting had been severe and continuous. During the last two or three days, rain had fallen, there was much mud, and many were suffering from the first stages of "trench foot." It was a weary trudge back, but at last all were back to the hot meal awaiting them, and the delights of an uninterrupted sleep.