Part 10

Sir Douglas Haig’s despatch of 23rd December, 1916, paragraph 8 (Dent’s edition), shows that the 56th along with the 46th Division made the subsidiary attack at Gommecourt, north of the Somme, on 1st July. They were then in the Third Army, VII. Corps. (See 46th Division.)

The 56th was afterwards sent to the XIV. Corps, Fourth Army, and took part in the successful attack of 9th September, now officially the “Battle of Ginchy.” Paragraph 23: “At Ginchy and to the north of Leuze Wood it met with almost immediate success. On the right (56th Division) the enemy’s line was seized over a front of more than 1000 yards.” Paragraphs 27 and 28 deal with another successful attack on 15th September and following days, officially the “Battle of Flers-Courcelette,” when the Division was again employed.

While the French worked up the south side of Combles, the 56th encompassed it from the north and, on 26th September, met their Allies in the town. Down to the close of the Somme battles, the Division, “hard-worked and splendid,” Sir A. Conan Doyle describes them, “were doing fine work always on the extreme right.”

The fighting between 25th and 28th September has been designated the “Battle of Morval,” and that between 1st and 18th October, the “Battle of the Transloy Ridges.”

The despatch of 25th December, 1917, paragraph 13 (Dent’s edition), shows that the 56th, again in the VII. Corps, Third Army, took part in the Battle of Arras which opened on 9th April, 1917. Paragraph 14: “By 12 noon the 12th Division had captured Observation Ridge and, with the exception of Railway Triangle, the whole of our second objectives were in our possession from south of Neuville Vitasse, stormed by London Territorials (56th Division), to north of La Folie Farm.” A large number of prisoners were taken. The 56th had an extremely difficult task and met with stubborn resistance. As was to be expected, their losses were considerable.

Paragraph 17: “On 12th April our attacks on Héninel and Wancourt were renewed, and our troops (21st and 56th Divisions) succeeded in carrying both villages, as well as in completing the capture of the Hindenburg line for some 2000 yards south of the Cojeul river.”

Paragraph 27: On 11th May “London troops (56th Division) captured Cavalry Farm.”

In addition to the actions mentioned in these extracts, the Division was engaged throughout the Arras operations on many other occasions, notably on 13th and 14th April and on 3rd May, when one brigade made an excellent advance. Throughout the battles of Arras the work of the 56th was of outstanding merit.

The fighting between 9th and 14th April is now the “First Battle of the Scarpe, 1917,” and that on 3rd and 4th May the “Third Battle of the Scarpe, 1917.”

The Division was employed on 16th August, 1917, in the second big attack in the Third Battle of Ypres, now “The Battles of Ypres, 1917.” The action of 16th August is now designated the “Battle of Langemarck.”

Paragraph 46 of the same despatch: “On the right of the British attack the enemy again developed the main strength of his resistance. At the end of a day of very heavy fighting, except for small gains of ground on the western edge of Glencorse Wood and north of Westhoek by the 56th Division (Major-General F. A. Dudgeon) and the 8th Division the situation south of St. Julien remained unchanged.”

The losses of the Division on the 16th August were extremely heavy. In the Ypres battle they were in the II. Corps.

When the Cambrai battle commenced on 20th November the 56th were not in the main assault on the 20th but kept up a feint or subsidiary attack on that date.

In the despatch of Sir Douglas Haig, dated 20th February, 1918, as to the “Battle of Cambrai, 1917,” paragraph 6, he said that the 22nd November 1917 was spent in organising the ground which had been captured on the 20th and 21st, carrying out reliefs, etc. “Meanwhile, early in the night of the 22nd November, a battalion of the Queen’s Westminsters (16th London), 56th Division, Major-General F. A. Dudgeon, stormed a commanding tactical point in the Hindenburg line, west of Mœuvres, known as Tadpole Copse, the possession of which would be of value in connection with the left flank of the Bourlon position when the latter had been secured.”

Paragraph 7 deals with the renewal of the British attack on 23rd November. “Throughout this day also the 36th Division and troops of the 56th (London) Division (T.) were engaged in stubborn fighting in the neighbourhood of Mœuvres and Tadpole Copse and made some progress.”

On the 27th there was again heavy fighting. “During the afternoon the enemy also attacked our positions at Tadpole Copse but was repulsed.”

Paragraphs 10-11 deal with the great German counter-attack of 30th November, and a quotation in which the 47th and 56th Divisions are both said to have greatly distinguished themselves, is given under the former. The fine conduct of both divisions could not have been surpassed.

In Sir Douglas Haig’s despatch of 20th July, 1918, he gives a detailed account of the German attack in the Cambrai-St. Quentin district which commenced on 21st March, and compelled the retreat of the Fifth Army, and the partial withdrawal of the Third.

At paragraph 45 he describes the attack on the Arras front, an extension to the north of the earlier attacks. “Meanwhile, between 7 and 8 a.m. on the morning of March 28th, fighting of the utmost intensity had broken out north of the Somme from Puisieux to north-east of Arras. Finding himself checked on the northern flank of his attack the enemy on this day made a determined effort to obtain greater freedom for the development of his offensive, and struck in great force along the valley of the Scarpe at Arras.”... “After a bombardment of great violence, three fresh German divisions advanced to the assault along the north bank of the Scarpe river against the positions held by the 4th and 56th British Divisions under the command respectively of Major-General T. G. Matheson and Major-General F. A. Dudgeon, and were supported in their attack by the two German divisions already in line.”... “His troops were everywhere stopped and thrown back with the heaviest loss before our battle positions.” “A second attack late in the afternoon north of the Scarpe, after a further period of bombardment, was also repulsed at all points. At the end of the day our battle positions astride the Scarpe were intact on the whole front of the attack, and in the evening successful counter-attacks enabled us to push out a new outpost line in front of them. Meanwhile the surviving garrisons of our original outpost line, whose most gallant resistance had played so large a part in breaking up the enemy’s attack, had fought their way back through the enemy.”

His defeat on the 28th weakened the enemy’s offensive and it eventually closed a few days later. The stand made by the Division, on the flank of the attack, where it was strongly pressed, was not excelled by the performance of any other unit during the March battle, and greatly contributed to the cessation of the German effort. The fighting on 28th March is now the “First Battle of Arras, 1918.” The Division was at that time in the XIII. Corps, First Army (see paragraph 45 of the despatch). It was the only division of the First Army engaged on the 28th.

In his telegraphic despatch of 13th September, 1918, as to the good work of various divisions in the early days of the last British offensive, under the heading 56th Division, Sir Douglas Haig said: “The 56th Division, which on March 28th assisted in the repulse of the German attack north of the Scarpe, on August 23rd attacked successfully, with the 52nd Division, at Boyelles and Hénin-sur-Cojeul. These two divisions met with very vigorous resistance about Croisilles and the important feature known as Hénin Hill to the north of it, but captured both places. On August 29th by a daring operation the 56th Division and the 57th Division captured Bullecourt and Hendicourt-lez-Cagnicourt. The possession of both villages was fiercely disputed, but on September 1st the 52nd and 57th Divisions secured firm hold of them and took Riencourt-lez-Cagnicourt. Also on September 2nd the 52nd and 57th Divisions continued the attack, with the 63rd Division, and captured Quéant, Pronville and Fontaine-lez-Croisilles.”

The despatch of 21st December, 1918, shows that the 56th Division was on 23rd August in the VI. Corps, Third Army. These events are again referred to in paragraphs 22, 23 and 28.

Paragraph 22 as to 24th August states: “On the left troops of the 56th Division, Major-General Sir C. P. A. Hull, had heavy fighting about Croisilles and on the high ground north-west of that village known as Hénin Hill.”

About 25th August the XVII. Corps was formed with the 52nd, 56th, and 57th Divisions, and later the 63rd. In the beginning of September the 56th became part of the XXII. Corps, First Army. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, vol. vi. p. 133, puts the losses of the Division between 27th and 31st August at 2723 and the prisoners they took at over 1000.

In paragraph 23 as to 29th August, Sir Douglas Haig said: “To the north of Bapaume a gallant thrust by the 56th and 57th Divisions penetrated the enemy’s position as far as Riencourt-lez-Cagnicourt.”

Paragraph 35: “The Battle of Cambrai and the Hindenburg Line, 27th September-5th October,” states: “On the extreme left the 56th Division of the XXII. Corps” (on 27th September) crossed the canal and, having cleared Sauchy Lestrée and Sauchy Cauchy, moved northwards to Palluel.

About 11th and 12th October the Division was employed in attacks; it took Fresnes and moved forward, overcoming various obstacles.

The various actions between August and October are now officially defined as follows: 21st-23rd August, the Battle of Albert, 1918; 26th-30th August, Battle of the Scarpe, 1918; 2nd-3rd September, Battle of the Drocourt-Quéant Line; 27th September-1st October, Battle of the Canal du Nord; 8th-12th October, Battle of Cambrai, 1918, with Pursuit to Selle.

Paragraph 50 describes “The Battle of the Sambre, 1st-11th November.” Regarding the 4th-6th November: “On the front of the First Army, the XXII. Corps and the Canadian Corps advanced against little opposition except on their right. Here the 11th and 56th Divisions, having crossed the Aunelle river and captured the villages of Le Triez, Sebourg and Sebourg Quiaux, were counter-attacked on the high ground east of the Aunelle and pressed back slightly.”

On the 6th the Division after heavy fighting gained its objectives. The advance continued between 7th November and the 11th, Armistice Day.

It will have been observed that all references to the work of the Division were invariably of a laudatory character.

The 1/10th and 1/11th County of London Regiment, originally belonging to the 56th, served with the 54th (East Anglian) Division at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, and in Palestine, their places being taken by the 1/7th and 1/8th Middlesex from the 44th (Home Counties) Division.

The 1/6th City of London Regiment, originally belonging to the 56th, but which served with the 47th, the 1/9th County of London Regiment of the 56th and the 1/7th Middlesex, which belonged to the 44th, but served with the 56th, were selected for the Army of the Rhine. The 1/10th County of London Regiment, which, as above stated, served with the 54th, was chosen for the Army of Occupation, Egypt.

57TH (WEST LANCASHIRE) DIVISION

SECOND LINE

The Division went to France in February, 1917, and was employed in the Bailleul-Armentières-Ypres area during the greater part of 1917, and for the first four months of 1918.

A quotation, in which West Lancashire Territorials are mentioned as taking part in an advance in “The Battles of Ypres, 1917,” on 16th August, 1917, has been given under the 48th Division. The number of the West Lancashire Division is not given in the _Gazette_ or in Messrs. Dent’s edition of _Sir Douglas Haig’s Despatches_. It seems to be the case that the infantry of the 55th or 57th was not present on that date. The reference may apply to some West Lancashire Artillery.

The 57th did attack as part of the XIV. Corps on 26th October, the “Second Battle of Passchendaele,” see 50th Division. Ground was gained, but the conditions were most difficult and the casualties of the 57th were very heavy.

Early in May 1918 the 57th took over from the 42nd in the Bucquoy area, south of Arras.

In August one brigade of the 57th was, for a time, attached to the 51st Division on the Scarpe and took part in a preliminary attack on the 19th. During that month the XVII. Corps, which embraced the 52nd, 56th, 57th, and later the 63rd Divisions, took over in that area, coming in between the VI. Corps and the Canadians.

The XVII. Corps, as part of the Third Army, attacked on the 25th August (see 52nd and 56th), and the 57th entered the front line on the night of the 27th. It had very severe fighting between 28th August and 2nd September and did well, as appears from the extracts referred to below.

In the telegraphic despatch of 13th September, 1918, as to the work of certain divisions, a quotation from which has already been given under the 56th, the 57th was mentioned for its fine services about Bullecourt and there is also given under the 56th a quotation from the despatch of 21st December, 1918, paragraph 23, which applies to both divisions.

Paragraph 28 of the latter despatch deals with the storming of the Drocourt-Quéant line, 2nd September, 1918. “This gallant feat of arms was carried out by,” among other troops, “the XVII. Corps of the Third Army employing the 52nd, 57th, and 63rd Divisions.” A quotation as to the battle on that date has been given under the 52nd. In the afternoon there was hard fighting but the enemy’s opposition was overcome by nightfall “and the 57th Division, swinging to the right, was threatening the villages of Quéant and Pronville from the north.” During the night and following day the enemy rapidly retreated.

The fighting in the area in which the XVII. Corps was then operating, 26th-30th August, is now the “Battle of the Scarpe, 1918,” and that on 2nd-3rd September, the “Battle of the Drocourt-Quéant Line.”

In the big and fiercely contested battle commencing on 27th September the XVII. Corps had again to make an effort almost, if not quite, as great as that which broke the Quéant line on 2nd September, and nothing could have been finer than the work of the 52nd, 57th, and 63rd Divisions on this second occasion. The position of the enemy was of immense strength and a wide and deep canal was among the obstacles to be overcome in the advance of the Corps. The fighting on the front of the XVII. Corps lasted, almost without intermission, from 27th September to 1st October. This is now designated the “Battle of the Canal du Nord.”

Paragraph 35 of the despatch of 21st December, 1918, dealing with “the Battle of Cambrai and the Hindenburg Line, 27th September-5th October,” states: “In the centre the 52nd Division passing its troops across the canal by bridgeheads previously established by the 57th Division, on the opening of the assault carried the German lines east of the canal,” etc., but in Messrs. Dent’s edition, p. 281, there is the following note: “This is incorrect. There were no bridgeheads at this time and the crossings were forced by the 52nd Division at the opening of their attack.”

The despatch proceeds: “As soon as the line of the canal had been secured our engineer troops commenced the construction of bridges, completing their task with remarkable speed, and working with great gallantry under the fire of the German guns. Greatly assisted by their efforts our advance continued. Obstinate resistance was met with at Graincourt, and it was not until late in the day that the village was finally surrounded and captured by the 63rd Division. The 57th Division (Major-General R. W. R. Barnes) meanwhile had passed through and carried the line forward east of Anneux to Fontaine-Notre-Dame.”

In paragraph 42, “The Second Battle of Le Cateau, 8th-12th October,” now officially designated the “Battle of Cambrai, 1918,” the despatch shows that on 8th October the Third and Fourth Armies attacked and very heavy fighting ensued. “On the extreme left the 57th Division made progress in the southern outskirts of Cambrai.... During the following night the Canadian Corps captured Ramillies and crossed the Scheldt canal at Pont d’Aire. Canadian patrols entered Cambrai from the north and joined hands with patrols of the 57th Division working through the southern portion of the town.” Next day, “Cambrai was in our hands and our troops were three miles to the east of the town.” Progress continued on the 10th. Shortly after this the 57th was taken out of the XVII. Corps and entered the XI. Corps, Fifth Army.

The operations referred to above turned the defences of Lille from the south, and paragraph 45, dealing with “The Evacuation of Lille,” states that the 57th and 59th Divisions were by the evening of 17th October “on the outskirts of Lille.” These divisions were then in the XI. Corps.

Thereafter the work of the 57th Division was less arduous; the fighting in the area of the Fifth Army was not so severe as it had been on the fronts of the Third and Fourth Armies farther south.

58TH (1ST LONDON) DIVISION

SECOND LINE

The Division went to France in January 1917. In March and April 1917, Gough’s Fifth Army, which contained the 7th, 58th and 62nd Divisions and Australians, was pressing the enemy towards the Hindenburg line, south of Bullecourt. In April as that line was approached the resistance became stronger. While the Arras battle was proceeding on the left (see 56th Division) the Fifth Army had some severe struggles, in the course of which the line at Bullecourt was pierced. In these actions the Australians did splendid work and they were nobly backed up by the three British divisions.

Sir Douglas Haig’s despatch of 25th December, 1917, paragraph 27 (Dent’s edition), shows that on 7th May, 1917, towards the close of the Arras battle, the 7th Division “gained a footing in the south-east corner of Bullecourt. Thereafter gradual progress was made in face of the most obstinate resistance and on the 17th May, London and West Riding Territorials (58th and 62nd Divisions) completed the capture of the village.” The Division remained in the southern area for some months. On 8th July it took over from the 42nd in the Havrincourt sector.

The Division was employed in the Third Battle of Ypres as part of the XVIII. Corps, which it joined early in August.

Paragraph 50 of the same despatch deals with the “most successful” assault which was launched during that battle on 20th September, 1917. “North of the Zonnebeke-Langemarck road London and Highland Territorials (58th and 51st Divisions) gained the whole of their objectives by midday, though stiff fighting took place for a number of farms and strong places.” The official designation of this action is now the “Battle of Menin Road Ridge.”

Paragraph 52, as to the attack on 26th September: “The assault was delivered at 5.50 a.m. and, after hard and prolonged fighting in which over 1600 prisoners were taken by us, achieved a success as striking as that of the 20th September.” Australian troops carried the remainder of Polygon Wood, etc., on their left the 3rd Division took Zonnebeke. “North Midland and London Territorial battalions (59th Division, Major-General C. F. Romer, and 58th Division) captured a long line of hostile strong points on both sides of the Wieltje-Gravenstafel road.” This is now the “Battle of Polygon Wood.”

Paragraph 59, as to the assault on the Passchendaele Ridge on 26th October, the “Second Battle of Passchendaele”: “On the left of the Canadians the Royal Naval Division and battalions of London Territorials (58th Division, Major-General A. B. E. Cator) also advanced and, in spite of immense difficulties from marsh and floods in the more low-lying ground, made progress.”

Paragraph 60, as to the attack on 30th October when the Canadians continued their advance along the ridge: “Further north battalions of the same London and Naval Divisions (58th and 63rd) that had taken part in the attack on 26th October again made progress wherever it was possible to find a way across the swamps. The almost impassable nature of the ground in this area, however, made movement practically impossible, and it was only on the main ridge that much could be effected.”

The fine reputation of the Division was enhanced, not only by the fighting qualities displayed in these and other actions, but by the soldierly spirit with which they endured the horrors of the salient throughout an unusually long spell of service there.

When the German offensive opened on 21st March, 1918, the 58th Division was in the III. Corps, Fifth Army; the other divisions of that Corps on the 21st being the 14th on the left and the 18th in the centre. The 58th on the right was the flank unit of the British Armies. The Oise above La Fère, opposite the ground held by the left brigade of the 58th, flows from north to south and thereafter from east to west. One brigade, the 173rd, was on the west bank above the bend while the others held a line from the south bank to Barisis, four miles south of the river. The two latter brigades were not seriously involved on the 21st. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gives a detailed account of the battle on the III. Corps front. At p. 111, vol. v. he states that the 173rd Brigade, “which filled the space between Travecy on the left, and the Oise upon the right, had the 2/1st Londons in the forward zone, the 2/4th Londons in the battle zone opposite La Fère and the 2/3rd Londons in the rear zone upon the Crozat Canal. The single battalion in front was attacked by the impossible odds of three German divisions but held out for a long time with great constancy.” The battalion was overwhelmed but fought to the end. The enemy stormed forward to the battle zone but were vigorously opposed by the 4th Battalion aided by some sappers and pioneers. This force held up the attack for a time but were pressed back. “By 5 a.m. on the 22nd all troops were across, and the bridges destroyed. The 2/4th Londons succeeded in removing all their stores and munitions, and their remarkable achievement in holding the high ground of La Fère against ten times their numbers for as many hours, during which they inflicted very heavy losses upon their assailants, and repulsed six separate attacks, was among the outstanding military feats of that difficult day.”

The 18th Division made a wonderfully fine and successful stand, but a break-through occurred on the front of the 14th Division.

Sir Douglas Haig in his despatch of 20th July, 1918, paragraph 10, gives the dispositions of the various Corps on the Fifth Army front and states that “Over ten miles of this front between Amigny Rouy and Alaincourt were protected by the marshes of the Oise river and canal, and were therefore held more lightly than the remainder of the line; but on the whole front of this Army the number of divisions in line only allowed of an average of one division to some 6750 yards of front.”

On the III. Corps front the extent of ground held was about 30,000 yards by two divisions and a brigade of a third. Their line was certainly opposite the marsh area but, as pointed out in paragraph 15 of the despatch, “Assisted by the long spell of dry weather hostile infantry had crossed the river and canal north of La Fère, and, south of St. Quentin, had penetrated into the battle zone between Essigny and Benay.”

Paragraph 14 shows that during the morning of the 21st, “the enemy had penetrated our front line opposite La Fère.” This was in the area of the 58th, see map opposite p. 186 of Messrs. Dent’s edition.

Paragraph 16 shows that Fargnier and Quessy were lost during the afternoon and evening of the 21st.