XXIX Welsh Ridge—Crêvecœur—Rumilly—Le Quesnoy

The whole of the German line from Verdun to the sea was now endangered. They had lost all they had gained, and more; Lille was threatened by the British, and Metz by the French and Americans. Cambrai, defended by the great block of powerful fortifications known as the Hindenburg line, was the central buttress of the enemy position. If they could hold in the centre they would still have an opportunity of winning a breathing space. Cambrai became the storm centre, and practically the full force of the British Army was employed against it. While the New Zealanders had been resting, a very brilliant operation, carried out largely by Canadian troops, had broken through the main defences opposite the town. The decisive action was about to take place, and the New Zealand Division was brought up to co-operate with other troops on the right of the town itself. Running in an irregular line in front of Cambrai was the canalised river de l'Escaut, which, as it was nowhere fordable, presented a considerable obstacle to the advance. In some places it had already been crossed, but opposite the New Zealand sector it bent back in a deep loop, and an advance of several kilometres was necessary before the bridge-beads at Crêvecœur could be reached. The front line ran along the railway from Epehy to Marcoing. Immediately facing it was the wide flat-topped Welsh Ridge, which on the further side fell away steeply to the Vacquarie Valley—a dry watercourse on the other side. Across the valley a level plain stretched for a mile and a half to the Bonavis Ridge, which covered Crêvecœur itself. The aim of the New page break

Le Quesnoy.

page break

Crêvecœur.

page 249Zealand Division was to capture Welsh Ridge, Bonavis Ridge, secure the river crossings, and then, after taking Crevecoeur, to push forward and establish a line of posts on the high ground about the mill of Esnes and the hamlet of La Targette. The advance was to be made on a two brigade front, with the 2/Brigade on the right and the 1st on the left. On the 1st Brigade sector the Wellington Regiment were on the right and the Auckland on the left. It was hoped that the leading battalions—1/Auckland and 2/Wellington—would reach Bonavis Ridge, and that from there 1/Wellington would cross the river at Rue des Vignes, while 2/Auckland, crossing at Crêvecœur, would occupy the village and pass on to the high ground.

On the 28th of September the battalions moved by motorlorry from Bapaurne to Neuville-Bourjonval. After a rather miserable day, and a difficult and tedious march, the assembly positions were reached, and final preparations were made in ample time. At zero, 3.30 a.m. on the morning of the 29th, the attack commenced under cover of darkness. What took place can hardly be described as a battle—it was more like a procession. Scarcely any resistance was offered, although the enemy were in considerable force, with the usual number of machine-guns in position. Some of his heavy artillery came into action, but the men were nearly all past the line of this barrage before it commenced to fall. A much more serious impediment than the enemy were the huge belts of wire which crossed the line of advance. These, with the normal difficulty of moving masses of men in the darkness, caused a certain confusion, and in some cases a certain divergence from the correct line of advance. By six o'clock the leading companies were crossing the Bonavis Ridge. No particular opposition was being offered by the enemy, and the troops, although a little mixed, were by no means disorganised. Having taken so much ground with such ease they were in the best of spirits, and quite capable of pushing forward to complete the task. Colonel Alderman, however, stopped the advance, not only of his own battalion, but also of 2/Auckland, who were in very close support, and were prepared to go through. Unfort-page 250nately, Colonel Allen had been somewhat delayed, and when he reached the front found that the opportunity had passed, dawn having broken, and the enemy, having recovered from the first shock of the surprise, were commencing to make a determined resistance. Casualties had been ridiculously small compared with the results obtained. In the whole Regiment the only two platoons to lose at all heavily were two of the 6th Company of the 2nd Battalion, who, missing direction, finished up on the flank of 2/Wellington, and there in some buildings near Lateau Wood had some sharp fighting. No accurate list of captures was made, but the two Auckland Battalions between them took at least 15 guns of various calibres, beside very many machine-guns and numbers of prisoners. The ground gained was of the utmost value, and as the battle had gone well all along the line, Cambrai was more than half-encircled. The surprise attack in the darkness again proved a great success. That such an attack could be carried out showed that the Division had attained a high standard of training and morale.

The day passed quietly, and then during the night 1/Wellington and 2/Auckland received orders to cross the river early next morning and complete the operation. Preparations for the attack were much hindered by the darkness, which was particularly intense. Runners lost themselves, and the telephonic communications broke down. Colonel Allen, arriving at the headquarters of the 15/Company, found none of the company commanders present for the conference he had summoned. They did not arrive until 4 a.m., by which time it was too late to carry out the plan of attack exactly as at first intended. There was no time for the Battalion to concentrate, and in consequence each company had to move independently to its battle station.

The 1'Escaut River, after running north-east for some miles, turned at Crevecoeur and ran due west for a considerable distance. To the south of the village 1/Wellington were to cross by the bridge from the Rue des Vignes, and were then to work up to the high ground by Lesdain. Right in the bend page 251of the river, by the Chateau de Revelon, was the crossing by which 2/Auckland were to enter Crevecoeur. Here, owing to the canalisation, there were two branches of the river to be crossed, and between them a flat, marshy island some hundred and fifty yards wide. Two bridges had thus to be crossed, and as it was most likely that they would be strongly held and swept by machine-gun fire it was necessary that the attack should be both strong and swift.

At four o'clock the enemy commenced to shell heavily, to break up, if possible, any concentration of troops that might be preparing for an advance. An hour later the 15/Company, under Captain Evans, M.C., an exceptionally fine officer, who had seen much service with the mounted troops and with the 4/Brigade, were moving forward under cover of darkness toward the bridge-head. At first everything went well. In the cold, wet, misty dawn the 15th crossed the stone bridge and occupied the island. The leading platoon led on across the second branch of the river, and commenced to establish themselves on the further side. Success seemed assured, as signs of demoralisation were plainly showing amongst the enemy. Many of their men were already running back. If the 3rd and 16th Companies arrived up to time the village would be taken. They did not come, and very soon the opportunity passed.

1/Wellington had missed their way in the darkness, and, wandering away to the right in the direction of Banteux, did not succeed in coming into action at all. The 3rd Company, feeling out to their right in an endeavour to keep touch, also lost direction, and, with the 16th Company, approached the Rue des Vignes bridge instead of the one at Crêvecœur. Rue des Vignes was strongly held by the enemy with numerous machine-guns. Major Sherson and Captain Stewart attacked at once, and after some stiff fighting, in which several casualties occurred, cleared the ground up to the river bank. It was impossible to cross, as the bridge itself was swept by the enemy machine-gun fire. Here Captain Stewart was wounded. As a corporal in the Wellington Battalion he had been one of the small band who held Chunuk Bair all through the terrible day page 252of August 8th, 1915. Promoted to commissioned rank, he had served through the campaigns in France and Flanders with 2/Auckland, and was universally recognised as one of the best fighting officers the Battalion ever had.

The 15th Company, in the meantime, were being very hard pressed. As soon as the enemy saw that there was no further development of the assault they took heart of grace, and commenced to counter-attack in force. They lost heavily from the Lewis gun fire which was poured into them, but nevertheless pressed hard on the platoon who were holding the outskirts of the village. This platoon was in a most dangerous position. Their retreat across the bridge was almost impossible, owing to the heavy fire directed upon it, while they were too few to hold their ground without reinforcements. Private Crichton here distinguished himself greatly. Twice he swam the river under heavy fire to take messages to company headquarters. The bridge itself was mined, and, to prevent the enemy blowing it up, Crichton cut the wires and not only that but removed the fuses from and then detached the mines from the bridge—a most daring piece of work. Orders were sent to the forward platoon to withdraw if possible. Some managed to do this by running the gauntlet of the machine-guns, others hid on the river-bank and got back after dark, while a few were captured. By this time part of the 6th Company, under Lieutenant Somers, had reinforced on the island. Their commander was hit as he crossed the bridge, and for some time the company was commanded by Sergeant Bishop. Fighting continued all the morning, and ended in a deadlock. Between the Huns and the Aucklanders was the bridge, which neither side could hope to pass in daylight. Crichton, although wounded in the foot, stayed with the company, and for the remainder of the day was helping the stretcher-bearers to clear the wounded. For his valour and devotion to duty he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Colonel Allen, discovering the whereabouts of the 3rd and 6th Companies, withdrew them from the Rue des Vignes, with the idea of working them over a temporary bridge some little page 253distance to the left of the village. It was while engaged in reconnoitring the possibilities of a move in this direction that Major Sherson was killed. Sergeant-Major Roberts, who was with him, managed to return to Battalion Headquarters, and reported against any attempt being made in daylight, as a strong force of the enemy, well posted, were covering the bridge. Nothing further could be done, except later in the day to picket the Rue des Vignes bank of the river, to prevent the development of any turning movement the enemy might attempt if the crossing were left unguarded.

There was no hope now of taking Crêvecœur by frontal assault, and, in consequence, Brigade made arrangements for 1/Auckland and 2/Wellington to pass the river at Masnieres and encircle the village from the west. 2/Auckland were to be prepared to push patrols through the village as soon as the enemy showed signs of retiring. 1/Auckland crossed the Escaut by one of the temporary wooden bridges between Masnieres and Crêvecœur and took up a battle station facing due east toward Serranvillers, with 2/Wellington (who were to storm Crêvecœur) on the right. Troops of the 1/Division were to storm Rumilly, a power fully-organised village on the left flank. Colonel Alderman disposed the battalion in depth. The 15th Company, commanded by Captain Daldy, and the 3rd, under Major Devereux, were to form the first line. If everything went well the 16th Company, under Lieutenant A. W. Gordon, was to pass to the front in the latter stages of the advance, and occupy the trench line which ran directly in front of Serranvillers, while the 6th Company, under Captain Forbes, was to remain in battalion reserve. The advance, as planned, was to penetrate to a depth of some 3500 yards along the plateau and the slope of the ridge, which ran in an easterly direction from Masnieres to Serranvillers, leaving Crêvecœur to the right rear. Stretching ahead, the country was open and treeless, destitute of all cover, except for several sunken roads which crossed the front parallel to the line of advance. Zero hour was fixed for 5.30 a.m., and a barrage moving forward a hundred yards every three minutes was to cover the advance.

Immediately the barrage opened the 15th and 3rd Companies moved, and quickly over-running the enemy outposts, advanced rapidly on the Crucifix Road, which they took with little loss, capturing 400 prisoners, beside 40 machine-guns. Nothing could illustrate better the low morale of the German army than that such a surrender should take place. Posted as these men were, they should have held their ground against many times the number they surrendered to. The best troops in the world can make no progress across the open against well-served machine-guns. Once past Crucifix Road, the opposition stiffened considerably, and the next two roads were only taken after severe fighting, in which Lieutenant Aickin distinguished himself. Three hundred more prisoners were captured, and many of the enemy were shot down as they endeavoured to retire back on the village.

On the left, owing to the failure of the English troops to carry Rumilly, the whole flank was completely in the air, and as counter-attacks now commenced to develop, both from Serranvillers and Rumilly, the position rapidly became serious. Captain Daldy formed a defensive flank, but his men were few and the line to be covered was a long one. Enemy fire was heavy, and from the left they had a perfect enfilade of the newly-won positions. It was a bitter thing to fall back, but obviously there was nothing else to be done. A new line was formed on the Crucifix Road, mainly through the efforts of Lieutenant Gordon, who set a very fine example, and this was held. Many men failed to get back and were killed, wounded, and a few even taken prisoners. Groups of men, cut off here and there, fought to the death rather than surrender. The flanking platoon of the 15th attacked by overwhelming numbers, defended itself heroically, and the whole line fought to the finish. Even when they were all dead the Huns feared for a long time to close in. On the Crucifix Road there was for a while much overcrowding, as not only were men coming in from the front, but also supports were moving up. Enemy artillery on the flank opened up and caused heavy losses. Riflemen and Lewis gunners lined the bank, and soon page 255checked the German attack. As soon as possible, reorganisation was commenced. The 6th Company held the line of the road, while the 3rd, 15th and 16th were disposed in depth in the rear. Owing to the exceptionally heavy losses, one company of 1/Wellington was placed at the disposal of the battalion, and later in the day they relived the 6th Company and held the front line until the relief. Crevecoeur had been taken by 2/Wellington, with some small assistance from 2/Auckland, who had pushed patrols through the village as soon as the pressure from the flank had caused the enemy to withdraw from the bridge-heads.

The next two days passed comparatively quietly, and there was no change in the general situation. There were occasional intense crashes of artillery fire, and twice on the morning of October 3rd the enemy put down a heavy barrage on the front line, but failed to follow up with the infantry attack that was expected. A report was at this time circulated to the effect that the enemy were evacuating their position, but a reconnoitring; patrol established the fact that they were still holding in full strength.

1/Auckland had lost very heavily. When the Battalion was relieved the total strength, excluding Headquarters, was only 5 officers and 157 O.R.'s, the losses for the period, 28th September to October 4th, were:—

2/Auckland lost during the same period 4 officers and 18 O.R.'s killed, 6 officers and 112 O.R.'s wounded, and 17 O.R.'s missing.

For the next week the 1/Brigade, withdrawn from the line, lived comfortably in dug-outs of the Hindenburg line, resting and reorganising. The 2/Brigade and the Rifle Brigade carried on with the advance, and after a little stiff fight-page 256ing between Serranvillers and Esnes the advance swept on for some ten miles through Fontaine-au-Pire and Beauvois, across the Cambrai-Le Cateau road, until, on October 9th, the advance guards were only a few thousand yards from the Selle River. Here the 1/Brigade took over, and with 1/Wellington and 2/Auckland in the van, advanced to the line of the river. No opposition was met with—the enemy everywhere retiring as our men established contact with them. As the Guards Division on the right had failed completely to make any forward movement, the flank was in considerable danger, but the Vickers machine-guns had no difficulty in breaking up the attack which was for a while threatened.

October 12th saw the whole Division relieved and concentrated round Beauvois and Fontaine. The week spent here was very pleasant. For the first time in six months men were living in real houses, that had been made into comfortable billets by the Huns. While in billets, the Prince of Wales passed through the area, and the 1/Brigade were lined up aiong the road with orders to cheer him spontaneously and heartily. It is very difficult to get New Zealanders to cheer at any time, and quite impossible to make them do so "by numbers," and so the attempt broke down most dismally.

East of the Selle River the advance had been continued, and Solesmes fell on the 20th of October, while on the evening of the same day the bridge-heads of the Ecaillon River were reached. Four days later the last ridge before Le Quesnoy was stormed, and here the advance rested for the next ten days. The main difficulty now was not the overcoming of the enemy defence, which was now breaking everywhere almost at a touch, but the increasing difficulty of getting supplies forward. From Hebuterne to Crêvecœur the advance had been made across a ruined and desolated country. As the enemy retreated they blew up the bridges, damaged every rail in the line, placed mines ingeniously fused so as to blow up perhaps weeks after, and, in short, did all that the wit of man could devise to hamper the pursuit that was pressing so close on their heels. As the railway track had everywhere to be page 257repaired, and, as even when this was done, delayed explosions were frequently occurring and causing damage at some critical point, it was not to be wondered at that a breathing space was necessary.

The 1/Brigade awaited the continuation of the advance in Solesmes, a manufacturing town that until the very last had been untouched by the war. It was the first place from which the enemy had not removed the civilian population. The French folk showed a great desire to bow and raise their hats to the New Zealanders, and in every way were most kind and obliging. Very polite people they were until a batch of prisoners were escorted back through the town. Then the "gamins" collected hastily from all quarters, after the fashion of small boys, and "barraged" the unhappy Huns with old tins and refuse of sundry sorts—a most pleasant diversion, when it is remembered that only a few days before the "kamarads" had been lording it about these very streets, and small boys who misbehaved were liable to summary castigation. Grown-ups did not throw tins, but indulged in facetious and candid remarks concerning the prisoners personal appearance, family history and probable future. French people can be most charmingly frank when the fit seizes them. One Hun officer was recognised, and with a howl of fury there was a general rush in his direction, and the infuriated mob commenced to beat him to death. Rescued with difficulty from their hands, a serious charge was at once laid against him.

It was now obvious that the end was very near. Bulgaria surrendered. Turkey collapsed utterly. Austria was granted an armistice that amounted to practically unconditional surrender. The whole of the German Western front was crumbling rapidly.

Just at this time, however, the New Zealand Division was more concerned over the rumour that they were to be given the "King's rest." This popular myth had been circulated in the Division ever since the first few weeks in Armentieres. Whenever the troops had had a hard fight or a particularly trying trench spell, the old, old story was circulated, and everys-page 258body cheered up at the prospect of "three months right back" in some place thickly populated with desirable mademoiselles, well supplied with estaminets, picture shows, pierrots, and chips and eggs. In this heaven there was to be neither sight, nor sound, nor smell of the unpleasant Hun. "Blighty" and Paris leave was to be abundant, and training was not to be severe. Of such stuff were dreams composed. After the long, hard advance, the rumour of the rest that was to come, after one more fight, was most inspiriting.

In the meantime, however, there was the one more fight. Le Quesnoy, once one of the most important of the French border fortresses—a place that had been fortified by Vauban —was the objective of the Division. With the railway line passing through, it was still of very great importance, and was strongly held by the enemy.

The plan of attack was for the 1/Brigade to move on the left, and the Rifle Brigade on the right. 1/Auckland and battalions of the Rifle Brigade were to surround the town, and, if necessary, the Riflemen were to storm the place, while the remainder of the New Zealanders were to sweep forward in an easterly direction and penetrate as deeply as possible into the enemy position. 2/Auckland, for the first time in their history, were in brigade reserve. Colonel Allen went on leave, and Major Sinel came up to command the Battalion.

After a miserable night, the morning of November 4th broke fair and fine. At 5.45 a.m., fifteen minutes after zero, 1/Auckland moved off by platoons, with twenty-five yards interval between each, the 6th Company, under Major Dittmer, leading, followed by the 15th, under Captain McCarthy, Battalion Headquarters, the 3rd, under Captain Lang, and the 16th, under Captain Forbes.

While crossing the Ruesnes-Le Quesnoy road an enemy 'plane flew overhead, and soon after the Battalion was heavily shelled, but, fortunately, the resulting losses were very slight. Lining up on the Le Quesnoy-Orsinval road, with the 6th and 15th leading, the Aucklanders moved forward and took the hamlet of Ramponeau, capturing many prisoners, machine-page 259 guns and field pieces. It was here that Peter Prendergast was mortally wounded. For a long while he had enjoyed a wonderful reputation with 1/Auckland, and prior to the advance was wearing the M.M. with a bar to it. His great ambition was to win the Victoria Cross, and on all occasions he was the foremost volunteer when any fighting was to be done. Several times he had been desperately wounded, but every time returned more hostile than before. A very poor parade-ground soldier, he was the despair of the Guards' school, to which he was once sent to learn the refinements of the military business. In the line, however, he was in the first class; and for desperate, reckless daring his reputation is equalled by very few who fought with the Auckland Regiment.

At Ramponeau, the Wellington Battalions passed through 1/Auckland, who wheeled to the right, and shortly after 10 a.m. linked up with the 2/N.Z.R.B., thus completing the encirclement of the town. Here they remained in position, guarding the approaches and preventing all egress while the Rifle Brigade stormed the outer defences. The inner wall was then breached by artillery fire, and an officer carried in a flag of truce and invited the enemy to surrender. They refused this and also a second summons dropped from an aeroplane. About seven in the evening the Rifle Brigade advanced with scaling ladders, and climbing the walls rushed into the town. Le Quesnoy was ours, and the New Zealanders had fought their last battle.

The Auckland Battalions bivouacked in Villerau, with the exception of the 16th Company, under Captain McFarland, which pushed forward and established posts in the Foret de Mormal.

Next morning 1/Auckland were relieved, and went back to billets near Le Quesnoy, where they remained for some days, sight-seeing and cleaning up after the late departed but unlamented Hun. On the morning of November 11th the whole Division was relieved and commenced to move back for "the King's rest." As the Aucklanders approached Solesmes a message was given to the officers riding ahead. It page 260was the news of the signing of the armistice. So the end had come at last, and the King's rest would have to wait until the "guerre prochaine"—that sweet bye and bye, in which mademoiselle dated her promises. There was no delirious excitement—for one thing the news was more or less expected, and for another four years of fighting dulls the enthusiasms. But there was a deep sense of thankfulness. "Thank God the bloody business is over at last." And men commenced to talk about New Zealand, and Auckland Town, and home, without that "if" which for so many years had cast a shadow over all bright plans for the future.