Page images
PDF
EPUB

Art. 18.-THE COURSE OF THE WAR.

THE progress of the Allied Armies north of the Somme during last summer and autumn made the German positions in the neighbourhood of the Ancre practically untenable. North-east of Beaumont Hamel the British line had been advanced some way up the slopes of the Serre height, the defences of which were also taken in flank by the positions won about Beaucourt. The first system of defence had been completely broken through in the Ancre valley, our front being in close contact with the second line of defence before Baillescourt Farm and Grandcourt. Further east, progress had been made down the northern slopes of the Thiepval ridge, overlooking Grandcourt from the south, and along the great spur which, springing from the main ridge near the Stuff Redoubt, dominates Grandcourt on the west, Miraumont and Irles on the north, and Pys on the east. The defences against this threat from the south, perpendicular to the original front, consisted of communication trenches belonging to the original system, and new trenches hastily constructed to confront the unexpected danger, situated for the most part on low ground, and exposed to con. verging fire and attack.

A spell of fair weather in the early part of January having somewhat improved the surface of the ground, a series of minor operations was begun on the 11th to the north-east of Beaumont Hamel, and to the north and east of Beaucourt, which appear, at the outset, to have had for their object the improvement of the front on the northern slopes of the Ancre valley. On Jan. 11 an attack north-east of Beaumont Hamel captured a hostile trench on a front of three-quarters of a mile, and straightened up a re-entrant in that locality. A week later a line of posts was occupied north of Beaucourt. These two operations gave us complete possession of a spur only slightly inferior in elevation to the Serre ridge, from which it is separated by a deep ravine which drains into the Ancre at Beaucourt. The next incident of importance was on Feb. 4, when progress was made east of Beaucourt. On each occasion the enemy resisted stoutly, and responded with vigorous counter-attacks. Subsequent to the last of these attacks there was a perceptible

lessening of the resistance. On Feb. 6 the Germans abandoned the outlying defences of Grandcourt, and on the 7th our troops occupied the village, together with the adjoining works. Baillescourt Farm was carried by assault on the following night. During the night of Feb. 10 an attack was launched across the ravine referred to above, which carried the trenches at the foot of the Serre ridge on a front of three-quarters of a mile. On Feb. 17 an advance south of the Ancre reached the outskirts of Petit Miraumont, and completed the occupation of the great spur between Grandcourt and Pys; while, north of the river, a position was captured on the spur north of Baillescourt Farm, which forms one of the terminal branches of Serre ridge. A week later (Feb. 24) Petit Miraumont was occupied; and a further advance was made on the slopes south and south-east of Serre.

At this stage it became evident that the enemy had decided to evacuate the whole of the Ancre valley. The hamlet of Serre, and the high ground on the east, were occupied almost without opposition on Feb. 25. On the following day the advance became general on a front of eleven miles, extending from the east of Gueudecourt to the region south of Grandcourt. The strong position at the Butte de Warlencourt, which defied assault last autumn, was occupied, together with the villages of Warlencourt-Eaucourt, Pys, and Miraumont; and our troops reached the outskirts of Le Barque, Irles, and Puisieux-au-Mont. By the end of the month, Ligny, Thilloy, le Barque, Puisieux, and Gommecourt had been added to the list of captured villages.

The Germans had made very complete arrangements for their retreat. The heavy artillery, and all material which had been accumulated in the surrendered area, had been secretly withdrawn-an operation which was doubtless favoured by foggy weather and by frost which set in about Jan. 20, and continued until Feb. 10. The guns were kept in action to the last possible moment, the gradual diminution of their number being concealed by the increased activity of those which remained. Finally, the bulk of the infantry withdrew, leaving only small parties, amply provided with machine guns, to check the pursuit.

Meanwhile the cold spell had been succeeded by a

period of thaw and rain, which changed the frozen country into a quagmire, and prevented the heavy artillery from moving forward in support of the advancing infantry. The pursuit was, in consequence, liable to be checked on encountering an entrenched position beyond the reach of bombardment. Such a position the Germans had prepared on the ridge between Hannescamps and Bapaume, with so much elaboration that it seemed, at first, to mark the limit of their retirement. The entire position was strongly entrenched and lavishly wired, the villages of Essarts, Bucquoy, Achiet-le-Petit, and Grevillers being fortified as supporting points.

It is clear, in the light of after events, that it was only intended as a temporary halting-place; and it is not easy to understand why so much labour and material should have been expended on works which were to be abandoned in the face of a serious attack. Two possible explanations suggest themselves. The line may have been prepared before the Germans had determined on the plan which they ultimately adopted. It may, in fact, have been originally intended for permanent occupation when it should become necessary to abandon the positions in the Ancre valley. Or it may have been designed to serve as a rallying position in the event of the retreat becoming disordered. The greater part of the evacuated area being under observation from the higher ground occupied by our troops, the removal of the vast quantities of material which must have been accumulated in the area and the withdrawal of large numbers of heavy guns were not unlikely to attract notice. An attack in force, delivered while the operation was in progress, might have led to great confusion and possibly disaster, in the absence of a strong and well-defined line of defence in which the troops could re-form.

Supported by this position, the German rearguards were able to check the pursuit for some days on the forward slopes of the ridge. A second brief spell of frost, however, facilitated the advance of the artillery. On March 10 the village of Irles, and the positions on the adjoining heights, were attacked and carried on a front of three miles. The main position about Grevillers was then subjected to a heavy bombardment, in consequence of which that section was abandoned by the enemy on

March 13; and, the rearguards having been driven in, our troops established themselves on the ridge. Four days later (March 17) the retreat became general.

Our space admits of only a brief reference to events on other sections of the front, of which the most important was the extension of the British line, which, having been begun in December, reached the neighbourhood of Roye by the end of February. In the course of minor operations, ground was gained towards Le Transloy and Beaulencourt in January and February. The summit of the Sailly-Saillisel Hill was captured on Feb. 8, and the enemy's first and support lines on the heights east of Bouchavesnes were carried on March 4, outflanking the strong defences of St Pierre Vaast Wood on north and south. These local successes did not, however, influence the German decision to retreat, which must have been previously adopted. German local attacks on the eastern heights of the Meuse, on Feb. 21 and March 3 and 20, and on the western heights on Feb. 25 and March 3, gave rise to some heavy fighting, but left the situation in those localities practically unchanged. Their object was probably to distract attention by creating an impression that the attack on Verdun was about to be resumed. A more important offensive in Champagne, on Feb. 15, gave the Germans possession of a salient in the French line, including a commanding point (Hill 185) north of Le Mesnil; but the ground was recovered by our Allies in the course of heavy fighting between March 8 and 13.

During January and February numerous raids, some on a large scale, were executed at various points on the front from Ypres to Alsace, in which much damage was done to the German defences and dugouts, and many prisoners were taken. One of their objects was, no doubt, to gain information of the enemy's dispositions, and to test the moral of his troops. Thus, the French were especially active on the front from Champagne to Alsace. It may be surmised that by the end of February the German designs were penetrated, for after that time raids were, for the most part, restricted to the front between Arras and Soissons, the localities most frequently raided being the neighbourhood of Arras, the district from Andechy to Lassigny, and the angle between the

Oise and the Aisne. The French appear to have detected signs of the impending retreat between Andechy and Lassigny about March 10, for they made daily raids at several points in that district between that date and March 15, when they captured the first three lines of trench in the vicinity of Crapeau Mesnil, and entered a small wood east of Canny sur Matz. On the same day our troops occupied the St Pierre Vaast Wood and the adjoining positions. Further progress was made on the 16th in both regions; and it became evident that the Germans were giving way.

In the early stages of the retreat the German rearguards-the only troops in evidence-fell back somewhat rapidly. Intended only to keep touch with the Allied forces, not to engage them, they were unencumbered with guns or transport, and made little resistance. On March 17 the French occupied Lassigny and Roye. The British advance south of the Somme was roughly defined by the line Fresnes-Eterpigny; and, on the north, Le Transloy, Bapaume, Ablainzeville, and part of Monchy-au-Bois were included in the front. On March 18 the French reached the line Crouy-Morsain-Carlepont-Noyon; and the British, advancing on a front of 45 miles, to a depth of ten miles, occupied Nesle, Chaulnes, Peronne, and sixty villages. At the end of the following day the French were on the line River Ailette-Chauny-Ham; while the British, advancing from two to eight miles, had recovered forty villages. On March 20, the French right wing made some progress north-east of Soissons, the centre remained on the Ailette, and the left wing occupied Tergnier and Jussy, the cavalry advancing to the outskirts of Roupy. The British reached the line Canizy-Estrées en Chaussée -Nurlu-Vélu-St Léger.

At this stage the enemy's resistance increased. The Allied advanced guards found themselves opposed by stronger forces, among which artillery made its appearance. Brisk engagements, in which the French made progress, took place on March 21 north of Soissons. Our Allies' lines on the west bank of the Ailette were heavily bombarded. East of the St Quentin Canal the Germans were in strength, but the French forced the passage at several points, and drove them back on Clastres and Montescourt. The valleys of the Ailette, Oise and Somme

« PreviousContinue »