IRISH TROOPS IN GERMAN TRENCHES BEFORE CAMBRAI
TANK CROSSING A TRENCH
A GERMAN AEROPLANE BROUGHT DOWN ON THE CAMBRAI FRONT
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A swift, sudden blow
There are tales of Tanks which chased the crews of 5.9 gun batteries round their own guns and captured the battery, and there is another tale of a Tank which fell into the Canal, and the commanding officer was surprised to find it did not float
November 22, 1917
We believe we have sprung today as sharp and bitter a surprise upon the Germans as they have ever experienced. When all attention was concentrated on the Flanders front, and the Passchendaele ridge in particular, we have suddenly struck at the main Hindenburg Line in the old Somme area, beyond Bapaume. There is every reason to believe the blow, when it fell, was completely unexpected by the enemy.
Next to the secrecy with which this attack was planned, the great feature of the operation was the overwhelming share played in the earlier stages of the advance by the Tanks. The condition of the ground here, which is little cut up by shell-holes and is dry, made their use possible, as it has not been possible of late in Flanders. His Majesty’s landships have at last had a real opportunity, and they seem to have made magnificent use of it. The strength of the positions selected for attack was enormous, what is known as the Hindenburg Line consisting, in effect, of three elaborate trench systems, each perfected with every detail known to German military science and defended witli tier after tier of the stoutest wire. That wire had not been cut, for there was no preliminary bombardment, or any warning to the enemy that an attack was impending. It was the Tanks’ first duty to roll out that wire, so that the infantry could get through, and they seem to have done it everywhere, and the infantry poured through after them.
Next to the secrecy with which this attack was planned, the great feature of the operation was the overwhelming share played in the earlier stages of the advance by the Tanks. The condition of the ground here, which is little cut up by shell-holes and is dry, made their use possible, as it has not been possible of late in Flanders. His Majesty’s landships have at last had a real opportunity, and they seem to have made magnificent use of it. The strength of the positions selected for attack was enormous, what is known as the Hindenburg Line consisting, in effect, of three elaborate trench systems, each perfected with every detail known to German military science and defended witli tier after tier of the stoutest wire. That wire had not been cut, for there was no preliminary bombardment, or any warning to the enemy that an attack was impending. It was the Tanks’ first duty to roll out that wire, so that the infantry could get through, and they seem to have done it everywhere, and the infantry poured through after them.
Our line has been practically stationary all the summer, running some hundred yards northeast of the village of Trescault and about 1,000 yards on the same side of Beaucamp and Villers-Plouich. Thence it turned southwards to pass 300 yards on the cast side of Gonnelieu, and then on to nearly a mile on the east of Villers-Guislain. The first German line, or Hindenburg Advanced Line, has run roughly parallel to this at a distance of from 200 to 500 yards, the space growing wider to the south. The main Hindenburg Line, the strongest of the three, was, perhaps, 1,000 yards behind the advanced line, the village of La Vacquerie, for instance, being behind the advanced line, but in front of the main line. The third line, or Hindenburg Support Line, was about the same distance behind the main line. These three lines together made an enormously formidable obstacle, but, so far as we know now, our attack, led by the Tanks, seems to have penetrated it at many points. We hear joyous reports of Tanks, singly or in droves, romping about at all sorts of places in the neighbourhood of the support line, and showing the infantry the way towards various villages. But at this stage of the battle it would be useless to try to give punctilious details. We have gained initial success by an extraordinarily bold manoeuvre, and it is impossible to define the limits of that success today.
I have said that British cavalry has been taking part in the great coup, and it has been a brilliant part. In at least two places I know that cavalry have charged batteries, sabred gunners, and captured guns. I know that they have taken villages and, having dismounted, have held them till the infantry came up. This happened at Marcoing and Masnieres, two places of critical importance by reason of their positions at the crossing of the canal. “Where the cavalry is rollicking now, or what pranks it is planning I do not know. One must, however, have misgivings that in such weather, where the going is getting so slippery and heavy, horses may well be growing tired.
As to the part played in the operation by the Tanks, it was overwhelming. A whole grand fleet of them was engaged, and they were led by their distinguished Commanding Officer in person, who flew his Admiral’s flag at the peak of his Tank and sent a message to all his captains on the eve of the engagement which ran: “England expects that every Tank today will do its damnedest.” Every Tank seems to have done it. There are tales of Tanks which chased the crews of 5.9 gun batteries round their own guns and captured the battery, and there is another tale of a Tank which fell into the Canal, and the commanding officer was surprised to find it did not float.
An interesting detail of the operation is that we have penetrated so deep into the enemy’s territory that we have found and taken villages full of their civilian population. It is said that we have freed over four hundred in Masnieres and nearly 1,000 in another village. This alone would show the completeness of the surprise to the Germans and how far they were from anticipating any such move, for the first evidence that the Germans are growing fearful of any threat on a particular region is the evacuation of all civilians. I understand that some of the newly-released cried unaffectedly with joy at their awakening from the three years of nightmare.
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The ground won in the first phase of the battle of Cambrai is being successfully consolidated, except that we have not been able to hold the village of Fontaine-Notre-Dame, which lies two-and-a-half miles west of the town of Cambrai. The big Bourlon wood, however, should soon be untenable for the enemy.
We are now able to estimate more carefully the results already achieved. The Germans say in their bulletin that we have gained “a little ground”. As a matter of fact, our progress has been so rapid that in two days the Third Army has gained at least half as much ground as was actually captured during the whole battle of the Somme; and we are inclined to think that the total is nearer three-fifths. It is not a very important point, but we note it in answer to the German remark. A more interesting reminiscence is that the right of our advance is only about five miles from Haucourt, where the left flank of our line was posted at the battle of Le Cateau, on August 26, 1914.
I have said that British cavalry has been taking part in the great coup, and it has been a brilliant part. In at least two places I know that cavalry have charged batteries, sabred gunners, and captured guns. I know that they have taken villages and, having dismounted, have held them till the infantry came up. This happened at Marcoing and Masnieres, two places of critical importance by reason of their positions at the crossing of the canal. “Where the cavalry is rollicking now, or what pranks it is planning I do not know. One must, however, have misgivings that in such weather, where the going is getting so slippery and heavy, horses may well be growing tired.
As to the part played in the operation by the Tanks, it was overwhelming. A whole grand fleet of them was engaged, and they were led by their distinguished Commanding Officer in person, who flew his Admiral’s flag at the peak of his Tank and sent a message to all his captains on the eve of the engagement which ran: “England expects that every Tank today will do its damnedest.” Every Tank seems to have done it. There are tales of Tanks which chased the crews of 5.9 gun batteries round their own guns and captured the battery, and there is another tale of a Tank which fell into the Canal, and the commanding officer was surprised to find it did not float.
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The glorious Battle of Cambrai
Our airmen have never surpassed their exploits on Tuesday and Wednesday, when many of them were repeatedly flying at the astonishingly low level of fifty feet from the ground
November 23, 1917
The ground won in the first phase of the battle of Cambrai is being successfully consolidated, except that we have not been able to hold the village of Fontaine-Notre-Dame, which lies two-and-a-half miles west of the town of Cambrai. The big Bourlon wood, however, should soon be untenable for the enemy.
We are now able to estimate more carefully the results already achieved. The Germans say in their bulletin that we have gained “a little ground”. As a matter of fact, our progress has been so rapid that in two days the Third Army has gained at least half as much ground as was actually captured during the whole battle of the Somme; and we are inclined to think that the total is nearer three-fifths. It is not a very important point, but we note it in answer to the German remark. A more interesting reminiscence is that the right of our advance is only about five miles from Haucourt, where the left flank of our line was posted at the battle of Le Cateau, on August 26, 1914.
At the moment, however, the movement on the left of the advance is the one which will attract most attention. Its direction is roughly northwards, and its general tendency is to outflank the formidable positions about Queant and Bullecourt, which are the vital spots in the system of defences known as the Hindenburg Line. It must not be forgotten that the Germans have at their disposal four lines of railway which converge upon Cambrai and therefore enable them to concentrate reinforcements rapidly. The railway to St Quentin is probably commanded already, and the direct line to Douai should soon be in like case. Our left can hardly be more than a mile from the great main road which runs in the direction of Arras.
Should Cambrai fall, the results may be very far-reaching indeed. But enough has been accomplished already to warrant all the gratitude and congratulation which is pouring forth to Sir Douglas Haig and Sir Julian Byng upon a battle which has immensely heartened the Army, the country, and our Allies. No victory in the war has ever come at a more welcome moment. It has made a deep impression, not only by its magnitude, but because it contains, in a signal degree, the elements of prescience and imagination.
The enemy boast of casualties inflicted upon the Tanks. Casualties were expected, but it was the Tanks that made triumph possible. They levelled the wire, and thus obviated the necessity of a long artillery preparation. Without their aid we should not have taken ten thousand German prisoners, and we are entitled as a nation to feel fresh pride in this purely British development of the mechanical side of warfare. Of the work of the cavalry we have still to learn full details, but we believe their casualties have so far been very light. Our airmen have never surpassed their exploits on Tuesday and Wednesday, when many of them were repeatedly flying at the astonishingly low level of fifty feet from the ground.
The battle is not yet over, and its full fruits have still to be gathered. If it fulfils further justifiable expectations, it may materially alter the whole position on the Western front. Already it is imposing a heavy strain upon the German resources, in conjunction with the increasing pressure of our French Allies in the region of the Aisne. We await its later developments with confidence.
Should Cambrai fall, the results may be very far-reaching indeed. But enough has been accomplished already to warrant all the gratitude and congratulation which is pouring forth to Sir Douglas Haig and Sir Julian Byng upon a battle which has immensely heartened the Army, the country, and our Allies. No victory in the war has ever come at a more welcome moment. It has made a deep impression, not only by its magnitude, but because it contains, in a signal degree, the elements of prescience and imagination.
The enemy boast of casualties inflicted upon the Tanks. Casualties were expected, but it was the Tanks that made triumph possible. They levelled the wire, and thus obviated the necessity of a long artillery preparation. Without their aid we should not have taken ten thousand German prisoners, and we are entitled as a nation to feel fresh pride in this purely British development of the mechanical side of warfare. Of the work of the cavalry we have still to learn full details, but we believe their casualties have so far been very light. Our airmen have never surpassed their exploits on Tuesday and Wednesday, when many of them were repeatedly flying at the astonishingly low level of fifty feet from the ground.
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Field guns charged and captured
The Canadian cavalry charged with drawn sabres, two rows swerving to the right and two to the left. The outside columns went on and surrounded and killed every man and horse
November 30, 1917
The following dispatch from Mr Roland Hill tells more in detail, and with some interesting additions, the exploit of the squadron of Fort Garry Horse on the opening day of the Battle of Cambrai, which was related in The Times of November 26:
To Canadian cavalry belongs the honour, I believe, of having, with the exception of one or two Tanks, been nearest to Cambrai in the great surprise which General Byng launched at the Germans on November 20. They were responsible for the capture of several villages, including Masnieres, one battery of German guns, and scores of prisoners - among them a complete Engineers’ stall, with valuable plans of the The Fort Garry Horse had the honour of leading the van.
The first part was easy. The leading Tanks had done their work gloriously well, flattening out tons of wire and caving in the wide trenches, so that mounted pioneers could easily fill in the remainder. “It was a joy ride all the way to Masnieres,” said a Major who commanded the leading squadron. “At only one place, evidently an unfinished German strong point, was there any real fighting. Some Boche officer had rallied about 20 men, and with two machine-guns they were causing us the first casualties. About eight of the Fort Garrys galloped ahead and swung round to take the Boches in the rear, while our mounted machine-guns fired on them from straight ahead. The whole garrison was killed or wounded in five minutes, and the rest of the cavalry passed safely along over the top of the hill. We found one more series of wire, all again beautifully flattened out or dragged away by the two Tanks that were ahead of us. Then came open country, downhill and along a well-kept macadamized road where the Huns’ light railway system ended. We were going so fast that what few Germans we met swerved round and fled towards their own front line, where the other line of Tanks and the infantry got them.
To Canadian cavalry belongs the honour, I believe, of having, with the exception of one or two Tanks, been nearest to Cambrai in the great surprise which General Byng launched at the Germans on November 20. They were responsible for the capture of several villages, including Masnieres, one battery of German guns, and scores of prisoners - among them a complete Engineers’ stall, with valuable plans of the The Fort Garry Horse had the honour of leading the van.
The first part was easy. The leading Tanks had done their work gloriously well, flattening out tons of wire and caving in the wide trenches, so that mounted pioneers could easily fill in the remainder. “It was a joy ride all the way to Masnieres,” said a Major who commanded the leading squadron. “At only one place, evidently an unfinished German strong point, was there any real fighting. Some Boche officer had rallied about 20 men, and with two machine-guns they were causing us the first casualties. About eight of the Fort Garrys galloped ahead and swung round to take the Boches in the rear, while our mounted machine-guns fired on them from straight ahead. The whole garrison was killed or wounded in five minutes, and the rest of the cavalry passed safely along over the top of the hill. We found one more series of wire, all again beautifully flattened out or dragged away by the two Tanks that were ahead of us. Then came open country, downhill and along a well-kept macadamized road where the Huns’ light railway system ended. We were going so fast that what few Germans we met swerved round and fled towards their own front line, where the other line of Tanks and the infantry got them.
“It was in Masnieres that the Germans made their first organized stand against the British Tanks and cavalry. Down this valley runs the little river Eseaut, and alongside it is the St Quentin Canal. The only crossings are in Masnieres itself, where there is a double lock from the canal. One squadron of the Fort Garry Horse dashed over these little bridges, following a Tank that was waddling through the village street, which slopes upward on the other side. This Tank waited for the Canadian horsemen at the top of the hill, half halting in its light with scattered bodies of German infantry to speed the cavalry on. The trap door in the side next to the squadron commander opened, and out crawled a young British lieutenant. He waved and cheered “Au Revoir” to the Canadian Major, and called out “Good hunting, old sports”.
A BRAVE GERMAN SERGEANT
“The squadron picked up the road to the right which it was planned that they should travel and sailed away ‘ into the blue.’ It was intended that they should if possible avoid the little village of Rumilly and press on. A few hundred yards to the left of the village they caught sight of a battery of German field guns that had hastily been unlimbered, and were firing at sight range on three or four Tanks. Clambering up the hill from the river the cavalry were in four formation, and there was no time for any manoeuvre if the attack was to be a surprise. The Canadians charged with drawn sabres, two rows swerving to the right and two to the left. The outside columns went on and surrounded and killed every man and horse where the limbers were; the inner lines were among the gunners before they could reload - with one exception. The German sergeant on one of the end guns managed to load and fire, with the breech only partly closed; the gun destroyed, he stood, to attention and saluted death. One of the Canadians tried to rescue him but in the melee he was trampled under foot. There were only three slight casualties among the horsemen, and these were used as messengers to send back word of progress. All got to the regimental headquarters, although two lost their horses. One of these men with a new mount fought his way back to the squadron later.’
The next adventure of the raiders was in a sunken road to the right of Rumilly. There seemed to be a considerable body of enemy troops marching down this narrow country lane to reinforce those in the town. The squadron was making across grass meadows with good going, but the Major decided that the discomfiture of these Huns was “worth while.” Half the squadron veered to the right, where they could ride smoothly down a slope into the road; the remainder got the signal to charge aud the signal that there was a sunken road ahead at the same time. The half-hundred horsemen clung to their horses over the miniature precipice right on top of a German machine-gun party, and by sheer luck not a man was unhorsed. It was a massacre. Over 150 Huns were killed, but the rest got away into Rumilly and gave the alarm.
The two halves of the squadron joined again, and it was decided to await news or reinforcements. From two sides the machine-guns opened on the party, and although the men were comparatively safe in the banks of the road, there were severe casualties among the horses. It was decided, as dusk was coming on, that they should make their way back and meet what British troops were following up. The remaining horses were stampeded in the direction of Cambrai, and immediately the Germans fell to the ruse, thinking that the squadron had galloped on.
With a captain from Montreal who speaks perfect German in the lead, and with the order to use sabres in preference to rifles - less alarming and as good results - the little band started. The first difficulty encountered was a party of infantry halted on the Masnieres side of Rumilly. The Canadians were not challenged and easily cut their way through to the main road, where, in a few minutes, they sighted a Tank, which they signalled and which did splendid work protecting their rear. Then the horseless troopers found a German officer and nine men, who called on them to halt. The Montreal captain joked with him and told him the German equivalent that he must have the “wind up” badly. The German hesitated a second at the taunt, and that second was fatal. He and his men were surrounded by the Canadians, and they all surrendered but one, and he was cut down in attempting to escape.
It was now dark and the Canadian major made the German officer act as guide to Masnieres, which was reached without further serious fighting. There the little band found regimental headquarters. The major celebrated his return to comparative safety by falling into the lock. He cannot swim a stroke, but he climbed back coolly to safety just as he had brought his men through probably one of the most stirring cavalry adventures of the war.
A BRAVE GERMAN SERGEANT
The next adventure of the raiders was in a sunken road to the right of Rumilly. There seemed to be a considerable body of enemy troops marching down this narrow country lane to reinforce those in the town. The squadron was making across grass meadows with good going, but the Major decided that the discomfiture of these Huns was “worth while.” Half the squadron veered to the right, where they could ride smoothly down a slope into the road; the remainder got the signal to charge aud the signal that there was a sunken road ahead at the same time. The half-hundred horsemen clung to their horses over the miniature precipice right on top of a German machine-gun party, and by sheer luck not a man was unhorsed. It was a massacre. Over 150 Huns were killed, but the rest got away into Rumilly and gave the alarm.
The two halves of the squadron joined again, and it was decided to await news or reinforcements. From two sides the machine-guns opened on the party, and although the men were comparatively safe in the banks of the road, there were severe casualties among the horses. It was decided, as dusk was coming on, that they should make their way back and meet what British troops were following up. The remaining horses were stampeded in the direction of Cambrai, and immediately the Germans fell to the ruse, thinking that the squadron had galloped on.
With a captain from Montreal who speaks perfect German in the lead, and with the order to use sabres in preference to rifles - less alarming and as good results - the little band started. The first difficulty encountered was a party of infantry halted on the Masnieres side of Rumilly. The Canadians were not challenged and easily cut their way through to the main road, where, in a few minutes, they sighted a Tank, which they signalled and which did splendid work protecting their rear. Then the horseless troopers found a German officer and nine men, who called on them to halt. The Montreal captain joked with him and told him the German equivalent that he must have the “wind up” badly. The German hesitated a second at the taunt, and that second was fatal. He and his men were surrounded by the Canadians, and they all surrendered but one, and he was cut down in attempting to escape.
It was now dark and the Canadian major made the German officer act as guide to Masnieres, which was reached without further serious fighting. There the little band found regimental headquarters. The major celebrated his return to comparative safety by falling into the lock. He cannot swim a stroke, but he climbed back coolly to safety just as he had brought his men through probably one of the most stirring cavalry adventures of the war.
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