CHAPTER VIII

CALONNE RICOUART AND SOUCHEZ

It will be gathered from the foregoing that, in whatever light the operation on Vimy Ridge was regarded by the General Staff, to the Civil Service Rifles it was a battle of some importance, and the loss of so many of the leading members naturally plunged the survivors into something approaching deep depression as they trudged wearily back to Camblain l’Abbé on the morning of the 23rd of May. The Transport limbers were met at Villers au Bois, and many weary men were thankful to shed their equipment here, and some of the more exhausted managed even to secure a lift for the rest of the journey.

The Transport Section, too, had played its part in the battle, for every available horse and man had been employed during the 22nd of May carrying bombs and ammunition across the track to Cabaret Rouge in daylight. Fortunately they had escaped any loss, either of men or horses.

Camblain l’Abbé was now very different from the quiet little village that had seemed so far removed from the war two days before. The whole Brigade occupied the billets recently allotted to the Civil Service Rifles, and it was here that the news of the counter attack by the 142nd Infantry Brigade was awaited with such keen interest on the night of the 24th. The attempt, however, like that of another Division a few days later, was unsuccessful, and the crest of Vimy Ridge remained in German possession until the Canadian victory of the 1st of April, 1917.

“The feelings of men leaving the danger zone for a period of rest defy accurate portrayal. Each one has his own individual thoughts, but they may be summed up in one word ‘contentment.’” Thus writes a well-known N.C.O. of “C” Company, who went so far as to say that the tension had been so great for a short period that, on knowing himself to be out of immediate danger for the time being, he felt as if he could have marched fifty miles, with full pack and blankets thrown in!

“Every force has a recoil,” he continues, “and most men feel tremendously bucked on leaving the trenches for a spell out of the line.

“It was thus with feeling of great relief that the Battalion marched to Calonne Ricouart on the 25th of May, there to forget their sorrows in the work of training and reorganisation.”

It is pleasing to be able to record the recognition, in the shape of honours and awards, of some of the many acts of gallantry performed in the Battalion on Vimy Ridge, and while at Calonne Ricouart it was heard that the work of C.S.M. R. H. Harris and Second Lieutenant F. Osborne was recognised by the award of the Military Cross; and Lance-Corporal Mark W. Hall, the leading stretcher-bearer of “B” Company, Sergeant W. R. McKinley of “A” Company, Private S. H. Bressey of “D” Company and Private L. Flanagan of “B” Company were awarded the Military Medal.

Sports Meetings of various descriptions were held at Calonne Ricouart, and as the billets were good and the weather generally was fine, the troops soon began to recover their good spirits.

The Transport field was approached by a one-sided rustic bridge over a stream. On one occasion almost the entire section endeavoured to make “Onions,” the mascot, mule take a bath from this bridge. The old lady, however, was proof against all efforts, and the only thing that happened was that the side of the bridge gave way. Lower down the road was a picturesque water mill, and next to this an estaminet, “Au Joli Pêcher,” provided liquid refreshment. Here Mlle. Felicité always had a roomful of thirsty _soldats_ who required a great deal of la bière to wash the dust out of their throats.

Large drafts of officers and men began to arrive from England, and very soon the Battalion became once more up to strength, and to complete the refitting, short rifles were now issued to all N. C. O.’s and men in place of the long Lee Metfords with which they had hitherto been armed.

The event of the “rest” was an original revue entitled “Spit and Polish,” performed on the afternoon of the 10th of June at the Cinema, Divion. The “leading lady” has given the following account of the affair.

“The first rehearsal took place in Lieutenant Sharratt’s billet. After a lot of smoking and talking, but very little rehearsing, the parts were allotted as follows:--

The Bogus Brigadier Private Teasdale. Adjutant Private Graham. Sergeant-Major Private Lloyd. Colonel Straws, I.D. Private Chisholm. Real Brigadier Second-Lieutenant W. H. Brantom. Hon. Lady Lizzie Private C. Cooper.

“The plot was written round the Hon. Lady Lizzie, who, bent on war work, obtained a situation as typist in the orderly-room where two Tommies--one disguised as a Brigadier and the other as an Adjutant--had decided to run the war in their own way. Eventually the real Brigadier comes on the scene. Lady Lizzie turns out to be his daughter and marries the bogus Brigadier, Sir Charles Chaplin!

“The revue was performed four days after the first rehearsal. Fortunately little memorising was needed as we relied chiefly on gags. On the morning of the performance Captain Ind came over to Divion to censor the dress rehearsal. Needless to say he cut out some of the best things, though, even then, the show had some ‘kick’ left in it. And perhaps the revue _was_ a trifle crude in places. But there was no holding a man like Teasdale. With his quick wit and fertile brain it required some nimbleness of mind to keep pace with him in _everything_--especially as I was playing the girl’s part!

“I don’t think anybody who was there will forget the occasion. The battalion had marched from Calonne, a distance of three miles, and arrived at the Cinema three-quarters of an hour before time, thus giving the boys an opportunity for a concert to themselves.[13] The noise was terrific, the bombers singing their particular songs and being howled down by the Lewis Gunners with their own pet ditties, and vice versa. When ‘Posh Harry’ arrived he was greeted with the refrain:

[13] The pioneers (of whom the lengthy Foote and Ginger Facon were notorious members) in the meantime prepared the stage, proving themselves expert stage carpenters.

“I wish I were an R. S. M. Earning lots of dollars. Etc., etc., etc.”

“The first half of the programme consisted of single turns frantically applauded. Then came the revue.

“I won’t attempt to describe it fully, but who will quite forget the beauty chorus of those thirty nice, smart soldiers, headed by Knapp, singing in harmony to the tune of ‘Boiled Beef and Carrots,’ that opening chorus:

“Spit and Polish! Spit and Polish! Our fathers said in days of yore. That Spit and Polish would win this war. Don’t walk about like dirty dogs Or lads from Eton College, The only way to win this war Is--Spit and Polish!”

“Of this chorus, Sidwell, he of the staring eyes, was great as the man who fainted on actually seeing the kidneys and best parts of the meat handed to his Company when drawing rations at the Q.M. Stores!

“The great moment, however, was Teasdale’s entry as the Brigadier (on a chair with the back for the horse’s head) with umpteen ribbons on his chest, wonderful top boots--his whole appearance a thing of joy! He kept the house in a boisterous thunder of hilarious applause right through to his final inspection of the beauty chorus when he presented a tin of Brasso to poor old Knapsky!”

The revue was a happy conclusion to a very enjoyable stay at Calonne Ricouart, and shortly afterwards a return was made to the front line trenches known as the Souchez Sector, a little north of the village of Souchez.

The outstanding features of life in this area were the heavy trench mortars used by the Bosches in the line, and the very happy days in Noulette Woods, near the village of Aix Noulette, when out of the line.

Early in July the Battalion was ordered to raid the enemy trenches in the Bois en Hache, just north of Souchez, but although five officers and 100 other ranks were specially trained for the event, it was a dismal failure, and it has long been a forbidden topic of conversation in Civil Service Rifles circles. Fortunately the casualties were few, and the Battalion left the area shortly afterwards to return to the dreaded Berthonval sector on Vimy Ridge.

On this occasion, however, a very peaceful time was spent in the front line, and it was hard to believe that it was the scene of the big fight of two months ago.

The thoughts of every one were now turned to the big offensive in the Somme district, and for some time the distant rumble of guns, heard daily from morning till night, had given rise to discussions as to when the 47th Division would move south to join in the fray.

It was therefore no surprise when the Civil Service Rifles marched out of Camblain l’Abbé on the 26th of July, 1916, after four very happy days in that pleasant village, to start the great trek to the Somme district.