Victoria Crosses on the Western Front – Continuation of the German 1918 Offensives

24 March – 24 July 1918

Paul Oldfield

• Publisher: Pen and Sword Military
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9781473884977
• Topic: Storia
• Subtopic: Prima guerra mondiale

In the past, while visiting the First World War battlefields, the author often wondered where the various Victoria Cross actions took place. He resolved to find out. In 1988, in the midst of his army career, research for this book commenced and over the years numerous sources have been consulted. Victoria Crosses on the Western Front - Continuation of the German 1918 Offensives: 24 March - 24 July 1918 is designed for the battlefield visitor as much as the armchair reader. A thorough account of each VC action is set within the wider strategic and tactical context. Detailed sketch maps show the area today, together with the battle-lines and movements of the combatants. It will allow visitors to stand upon the spot, or very close to, where each VC was won. Photographs of the battle sites richly illustrate the accounts. There is also a comprehensive biography for each recipient, covering every aspect of their lives, warts and all: parents and siblings, education, civilian employment, military career, wife and children, death and burial/commemoration. A host of other information, much of it published for the first time, reveals some fascinating characters, with numerous links to many famous people and events.

Chapter One

First Battles of the Somme 1918– Subsequent Operations

Actions at the Somme Crossings

333 Cpl John Davies, 11th South Lancashire (Pioneers) (30th Division), near Eppeville, France

334 Capt Alfred Toye, 2nd Middlesex (23rd Brigade, 8th Division), Éterpigny, France

24th March 1918

On 21st March 1918 the Germans launched their expected spring offensive on the Somme front against the British Fifth and Third Armies. By 24th March units in Fifth Army were completely intermingled; one CO had 900 men from eleven different units under command. Everything was in short supply and many men were on the point of collapse. On the right of Fifth Army the French relieved III Corps north of the Oise but were themselves also in retreat. The line of the Somme was lost in the south but was maintained from north of Ham to Péronne. The situation was so uncertain that 14th Division was withdrawn to cover the crossings over the Canal du Nord.

On the right of XVIII Corps, 36th Division, with 61st Brigade (20th Division) attached, was in a dangerous salient. The Germans were also driving a wedge between 36th Division and 30th Division to the north but help was at hand. During the night elements of the French 9th and 10th Divisions took up positions behind 30th and 36th Divisions. Two other French divisions were within ten kilometres of the front and the depleted British 61st Division was in reserve.

There were no early attacks against 36th Division but at 11 a.m., when 61st Brigade (20th Division) began to withdraw from the head of the salient, the enemy turned the right flank of 109th Brigade. The two brigades fell back on the French 9th and British 14th Divisions. However, two battalions did not receive the message to retire and were overwhelmed. The Germans pushed the infantry back on Villeselve. With the French also being driven back the position was hopeless. 36th Division pulled back to a line prepared by the French but the retirement was not yet over. When the 9th French Division pulled back, so did the 10th. A threat to the 9th in its new position forced another retirement and 36th Division had to comply by pulling back to the line Quesmy – Guiscard – Hospital Farm, where it joined with the French 62nd Division. By 11 p.m. the French held a continuous thin line and 36th Division, less 61st Brigade, was withdrawn into reserve.

The Third and Fifth Army front from 21st March until 5th April 1918, showing the stages of the German advance. This book covers the events in this area from 24th March onwards. The opening of the German offensive, from 21st March until 23rd March inclusive, is covered in the previous volume in this series – Cambrai to the Battle of St Quentin. British corps and divisions are shown as at dawn on 21st March.

Going back to the morning of the 22nd, the Corps Commander sent 400 men from the Corps Reinforcement Camp and a party of Corps Cyclists to man the Somme bridgeheads at Ham, Pithon and Dury. At 11 a.m., 21st and 23rd Entrenching Battalions came under command of 30th Division for the defence of the canal line from Sommette Eaucourt to Canizy, a frontage of about ten kilometres, including the Ham bridgehead. The Division’s three engineer field companies began work on the defences about 2 p.m. The positions were weak and had just a single barbed wire fence to the front. East of Ham the canal was dry and presented no obstacle but to the northwest it was not fordable. 89th Brigade was responsible for the defence, reinforced by the two entrenching battalions, detachments of tunnelling companies RE, a composite battalion from the Corps Reinforcement Camp and Corps Cyclists, a total of about 1,000 men. At 7 p.m. orders were issued to pull back to the new positions.

XVIII Corps’ area on 24th March 1918.

The reinforcements to 89th Brigade were to be withdrawn on 23rd March. Accordingly 21st and 90th Brigades were warned to take over their sectors by midday on 24th March. At 12.45 a.m. reports arrived that the Germans had broken through and were heading directly for Ham along the main road. The line along the canal was held, except for a gap south of Ham, where the troops fell back towards Verlaines. The Ham bridgehead was driven in. However, a brigade of 20th Division filled the gap. The remainder of the 23rd was relatively quiet.

30th Division’s front on 24th March. Leave Eppeville westwards on the D930. Cross the railway and after 850m pull in on the right at the entrance to an old dump with a locked barrier. One hundred metres on down the hill is the Allemagne stream. Walk back along the road towards Eppeville to the highest point for a view towards the railway, the high ground held by 11th South Lancashire and the stream over which they escaped covered by the Lewis gunners.

The right of 30th Division’s front was badly mixed up but the left was more orderly, with the troops still in formed units. Meanwhile, behind the front, 21st Brigade and some sappers set to work constructing a new line east of Esmery-Hallon. A party under CO 19th King’s was tasked with digging another along the Canal du Nord. The night passed without major incident.

11th South Lancashire (Pioneers) took up position southwest of Eppeville. On the left contact was made with 19th King’s and 23rd Entrenching Battalion but the right flank beyond Verlaines was wide open. Patrols failed to make contact with British or enemy troops. During the afternoon the open right flank came under pressure and the right company fell back to the trenches occupied by the rest of the Battalion. At 6 p.m. a composite battalion of 89th Brigade came up on the right to cover the exposed flank. At about 9.30 p.m. 11th South Lancashire reorganised its line with two companies on the railway embankment. When the Battalion tried to establish contact with 182nd Brigade on the left, it was discovered that the junction point was held by the Germans. The embankment came under heavy machine gun, artillery and trench mortar fire but the Battalion clung on all night, despite heavy casualties.

Early on the morning of 24th March, 11th South Lancashire discovered that 23rd Entrenching Battalion was not where it was expected to be on the left. It was also clear that the position occupied by the Battalion during the night was untenable in daylight. It was too late to dig another line to link up with the remnants of 89th Brigade. The reserve company was about to be sent to fill the gap, when the situation was overtaken by other events.

After a heavy bombardment from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., the enemy advanced from the Ham bridgehead against the centre of 30th Division. They also crossed the Somme at Canizy and attacked on the left. Troops on the flanks of 11th South Lancashire were seen to be in retreat and by 8.30 a.m. the two forward companies were almost surrounded. Escape lay over a deep stream (the rather ironically named Allemagne), which was barricaded with barbed wire. The retreat was covered by the Lewis gunners, who fought on until all were killed or wounded. Corporal John Davies mounted the parapet in full view of the enemy, who were surging forward in pursuit, in order to obtain a better field of fire for his Lewis gun. He kept his gun in action to the last, causing the enemy many casualties and holding them back, while his comrades got away. It was believed that he had been killed but in May news came through that he had been captured.

From the high point on the D930 looking west. On the left the line of trees and bushes marks the Allemagne stream and the hedge line on the right follows the railway line. John Davies was in action to the left of the road in the field in the centre.

Counterattacks were ineffective and by 9 a.m. the left and centre of 30th Division were retreating towards 21st Brigade’s line at Esmery-Hallon. The right flank conformed. They rallied on 21st Brigade and a stand was made but, around 10.30 a.m., the withdrawal continued. By 2 p.m. the Division had crossed the Canal du Nord at Lannoy Farm, where the French 62nd Division was in position. 30th Division was to hold the line from Libermont to Buverchy and at 5.10 p.m. the French took over command of the line from Lannoy Farm southwards. From there northwards was held by 90th Brigade to Buverchy, where it was in contact with 20th Division. 89th Brigade was in support at Moyencourt. The opportunity was taken to reorganise the mixed units and bring up food, water and ammunition.

The remnants of 11th South Lancashire made their way over the Canal du Nord and at 6.30 p.m. were ordered to occupy a line between Moyencourt and Cressy. Later it was sent to Roiglise, where next morning it formed part of a Divisional composite battalion.

Frontal attacks on 20th Division were repulsed and a defensive right flank was established when 30th Division fell back. The Germans crossed the Somme in XIX Corps’ area, sweeping away the left of 20th Division. By 2.30 p.m. they were near the Canal du Nord, enveloping the right flank and a general retirement behind the Canal followed. A counterattack by 61st Division failed and it withdrew behind the Canal. The greatest anxiety was on the left flank of 20th Division where a gap of three kilometres had resulted from the withdrawal of 8th Division (XIX Corps).

In XIX Corps the fighting went largely the British way, but on the right the Germans succeeded in crossing north of Béthencourt and at Pargny. It proved impossible to maintain contact with 20th Division. VII Corps was forced into an orderly retirement. A composite mounted force was sent to hold the 4,600m gap between Fifth and Third Armies until the early hours of the 25th, when elements of 17th Division (Third Army) arrived.

Further north Third Army lost heavily and the situation was confused. There were gaps everywhere and only in the north was a firm line established. V Corps escaped from the Flesquières salient but was still 3,650m ahead of its flanking corps. The right flank lost contact with Fifth Army and V Corps had to pull back further. VI Corps maintained a good position but, overall, Third Army was disorganised, its line was unstable and its men were very tired. However, it was managing to hold and the enemy had yet to make a breakthrough.

Haig met Pétain. The latter expected the Germans to attack in Champagne and did not have sufficient forces to support the British also. Pétain directed General Fayolle to fall back towards Paris if he came under too much pressure. Haig was alarmed that the French priority was their capital, rather than maintaining contact with their ally.

25th March 1918

Early on 25th March the Somme west of Péronne became the boundary between the British and French forces. All troops in VII Corps north of the Somme transferred to Third Army, while those south of the river transferred to XIX Corps. At the same time, south of the Somme III, XVIII and XIX Corps (Fifth Army) came under command of the French Group of Armies of the Reserve under General Fayolle.

The mist cleared at 7.30 a.m. but, despite the advantages of observation and reinforcement by the French, the British were again pushed back. The French relieved III Corps south of the Oise, except for 58th Division and a brigade of 18th Division. Despite this respite, ground was still lost north of the river. In XVIII Corps, 30th and 20th Divisions resisted for most of the day. However, in the afternoon they were shelled from the right rear by German units pushing back the French 62nd Division. They had to retire through the French 22nd Division, suffering many casualties on the way. The French also retired but to the southwest, thus opening a gap. 20th Division was ordered to comply with French movements until it reached Roye. It was then to turn northwest in order to fill the gap between the two Armies.

XIX Corps’ area on 25th March 1918. The Corps line ran mainly along the Somme Canal west of the river.

XIX Corps held the front from Béthencourt to Hem with 8th, 66th and 39th Divisions. Both flanks were thrown back. That of 8th Division in the south had a one and a half kilometres gap between it and XVIII Corps, which was partly covered by 24th Division (XVIII Corps) five kilometres to the rear.

23rd Brigade (8th Division) held the line west of the Somme from St Christ to Éterpigny. On its right was 24th Brigade and to the left was 197th Brigade (66th Division). In 23rd Brigade, 2nd Devonshire was right forward, with particular responsibility for the crossings at St Christ. 2nd West Yorkshire was left forward, with its main task being to secure the crossings at Brie and Éterpigny. The latter was a military bridge, there being no bridge at Éterpigny pre-war, or indeed today. 2nd Middlesex was in reserve. Each forward battalion had three companies in the line, with the fourth in reserve for counterattacks, and two mortars attached from the Brigade Trench Mortar Battery. The other four mortars were held with the reserve battalion. The main strength was at the canal crossings, with the intervals between covered by widely spaced posts. A Company, 8th Battalion Machine Gun Corps was attached with its sixteen Vickers machine guns. The front was to be dominated by fire from higher ground, but where this was not possible the canal bank was to be occupied.

Early on 24th March it was discovered that there was a gap of about 900m on the left of 23rd Brigade. 2nd West Yorkshire was ordered to cover this and gain contact with 66th Division. Later the gap was filled by 1/7th Durham Light Infantry (Pioneers) from 50th Division. That afternoon 24th Brigade on the right was attacked and forced back. However, the left battalion, 1st Sherwood Foresters, hung on to its positions along the river. During the night the Germans made three determined efforts to force the St Christ crossing. They were repulsed by 2nd Devonshire and 1st Sherwood Foresters after severe hand to hand fighting.

That night 2nd Middlesex relieved 2nd West Yorkshire on the left of 23rd Brigade. 24th ...