https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/register/value-of-british-success-6r3js5prg
It seems a pity that it is necessary to speak of these operations in terms of geography, because, as often on the Somme, the smallness of the theatre, and the comparatively narrow depth of our advance, gives a misleading impression. It is much more valuable in the present phase of the war to put out of action 50,000 Germans and gain half a mile than to gain five miles and only inflict a loss of 10,000. Germany can better afford to give us ground than men, but what our Army wants is fighting. During the last few days the Germans have undoubtedly fought, and in some cases with great determination. It was necessary to delay us, and they were willing to pay an enormous price in order to move back their guns.
The absurdity of the German claims that the last operation was an attempt to break through is shown by the fact that at the nearest points we are still some 6,000 yards from the Quéant line. Precisely how any commander could be expected to attempt an attack on such a line when his men had 6,000 yards to go before reaching it is not easy to understand. The recent operation was purely local for the purpose of gaining certain objectives necessary to a methodical progress towards the Quéant line. The chief of those were the villages of Guémappe and Gavrelle, which we hold. We would have gladly gone farther but the defences here are so prickly that it would be too costly to rush them. There are other less expensive ways of getting such positions.
That the enemy attached supreme importance to the places captured is shown by their desperate efforts to recover them, by which he suffered infinitely greater loss than we declined to face in order to capture Roeux. On the map the operation is small, but interpreted in terms of damage done to German power, its importance is immense.
The weather continues fair, but cold and cloudy, being in the latter respect so much to the advantage of enemy aeroplanes, which like clouds and thick weather to shelter them.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a-mysterious-captain-tzw78xvlf
Another tragic incident, such as must occur in these battles, has to do with a carrying party taking water up to the troops in the front line, but when they got there they found the Germans in the line and the carrying party did not return. Presumably the Germans got the water. Nothing could exceed the gallantry with which supplies, whether by carrying parties or transport, are taken up to our fighting men. When we push forward, supplies of food, water and ammunition must go up across the ground which the enemy has just been driven from, knows well, and is barraging. I have more than once marvelled at the nonchalance with which the transport moves through a shelled area, contemptuous alike of shrapnel overhead or of high explosive. Of course, there are losses, but it makes no difference, and the whole Army is loud in its praise of the behaviour of the transport.
An incident is reported of certain Worcesters who were cut off in a little wood to which they had penetrated, I am informed, as long ago as the 14th, where they held on until we got final possession of the wood on the 23rd. Another incident has a comic side. Four of our officers, including two high Staff officers, were walking through a wood on the edge of an open part of the front to which we had just pushed forward, anxious to see the enemy’s position themselves. In the wood they met a large German patrol face to face, and simply had to run for it. Fortunately, they ran faster than the Germans, and the latter were shocking bad shots, so no one was hurt, but the German patrol probably has no idea what big game it missed bagging.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/womans-story-of-hospital-ship-8nlhl9x7d
As a result of last night’s bombardment, following the heavy shelling of the previous days, the villages on our immediate front have been practically wiped out of existence. The rapidity with which so great a weight of guns has been brought up after the recent German retreat is as remarkable as anything in all our great machine here. The attack was delivered just before dawn, and at most places our men met with little resistance at the start, the nearest trenches being battered out of existence, or held lightly by men with no fight left in them. The German barrage was better than in the opening fight of the battle on April 9, though still feeble compared with our own. It caused some casualties, but made no difference to the advance of our men.
I have talked today with some men wounded by that barrage, and they regard it only as bitter hard luck that they should have been among the few to be stopped, while all the rest were able to go on. In every fight it is the same story. The only thing our men really regret is being stopped before they have a chance of getting at the enemy. In their second lines, and in the trenches and posts beyond, the Germans fought stubbornly, and men from Eastern and Midland counties talk of bayonet work they had before the bullet came along which put them out of the fighting.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a-crowded-flight-over-german-lines-slh6c65d9
I was immediately attacked by three enemy machines, which drove me down to about 200ft. We were firing at one another, whenever possible, when at last I got into a good position and attacked one from above, having another on my right. I closed on the latter, turning in on him so close that I could get a sight actually on the pilot’s head. I saw my bullets strike the pilot’s head, and the machine then simply heeled over and span to the ground. The other two machines cleared off.
Having lost sight of all the other machines and being so low, I decided to fly home at about that height. A company of German cavalry going east along a small road halted and fired on me; also several machine-guns opened fire. After going west for about five minutes, I was again attacked by an enemy single-seater, and as he approached I rocked my machine until he was within 50 yards. I side-looped over him and fired a short burst at him. He seemed to clear off, and then attacked me again. These operations were repeated several times, until within five minutes of crossing the line (flying against a strong wind), when he was about 160 yards behind me. I looped straight over him and, coming out of the loop, fired a good long burst. I saw where I hit the pilot in the back, just above the edge of the cockpit. He immediately dived straight into the ground.
I then went over the German trenches, filled with soldiers, and was fired on by machine-guns, rifles, and small field-guns — in or out of range. I saw many small companies of infantry and cavalry going east along small roads. I noted no convoys or movement of artillery. I landed at the first aerodrome I saw. My machine was badly shot about.
April 27, 1917
Value of British success
The last 24 hours have been comparatively quiet, except for artillery and aerial activity. There has been no infantry operation of importance. Except for heavy shelling, the enemy seems to have exhausted himself and we are busy consolidating ground recently won.It seems a pity that it is necessary to speak of these operations in terms of geography, because, as often on the Somme, the smallness of the theatre, and the comparatively narrow depth of our advance, gives a misleading impression. It is much more valuable in the present phase of the war to put out of action 50,000 Germans and gain half a mile than to gain five miles and only inflict a loss of 10,000. Germany can better afford to give us ground than men, but what our Army wants is fighting. During the last few days the Germans have undoubtedly fought, and in some cases with great determination. It was necessary to delay us, and they were willing to pay an enormous price in order to move back their guns.
The absurdity of the German claims that the last operation was an attempt to break through is shown by the fact that at the nearest points we are still some 6,000 yards from the Quéant line. Precisely how any commander could be expected to attempt an attack on such a line when his men had 6,000 yards to go before reaching it is not easy to understand. The recent operation was purely local for the purpose of gaining certain objectives necessary to a methodical progress towards the Quéant line. The chief of those were the villages of Guémappe and Gavrelle, which we hold. We would have gladly gone farther but the defences here are so prickly that it would be too costly to rush them. There are other less expensive ways of getting such positions.
That the enemy attached supreme importance to the places captured is shown by their desperate efforts to recover them, by which he suffered infinitely greater loss than we declined to face in order to capture Roeux. On the map the operation is small, but interpreted in terms of damage done to German power, its importance is immense.
The weather continues fair, but cold and cloudy, being in the latter respect so much to the advantage of enemy aeroplanes, which like clouds and thick weather to shelter them.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a-mysterious-captain-tzw78xvlf
April 26, 1917
A mysterious “captain”
A curious incident took place on one part of the line, when parties of two different battalions fell back before a counter-attack, both stating that they had been ordered to do so by a captain whom each supposed belonged to the other battalion. That captain was never identified, and there is a strong presumption that he was a German, in khaki, who had hidden in a dug-out while our line swept over him, then emerged, unsuspected in his stolen uniform, to give the order referred to. In any case he did little good, because when the troops understood what had happened, they went in again so mad that the Germans have rarely been charged with so little mercy.Another tragic incident, such as must occur in these battles, has to do with a carrying party taking water up to the troops in the front line, but when they got there they found the Germans in the line and the carrying party did not return. Presumably the Germans got the water. Nothing could exceed the gallantry with which supplies, whether by carrying parties or transport, are taken up to our fighting men. When we push forward, supplies of food, water and ammunition must go up across the ground which the enemy has just been driven from, knows well, and is barraging. I have more than once marvelled at the nonchalance with which the transport moves through a shelled area, contemptuous alike of shrapnel overhead or of high explosive. Of course, there are losses, but it makes no difference, and the whole Army is loud in its praise of the behaviour of the transport.
An incident is reported of certain Worcesters who were cut off in a little wood to which they had penetrated, I am informed, as long ago as the 14th, where they held on until we got final possession of the wood on the 23rd. Another incident has a comic side. Four of our officers, including two high Staff officers, were walking through a wood on the edge of an open part of the front to which we had just pushed forward, anxious to see the enemy’s position themselves. In the wood they met a large German patrol face to face, and simply had to run for it. Fortunately, they ran faster than the Germans, and the latter were shocking bad shots, so no one was hurt, but the German patrol probably has no idea what big game it missed bagging.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/womans-story-of-hospital-ship-8nlhl9x7d
April 25, 1917
Woman’s story of hospital ship
A woman in charge of a YMCA hut forwards this account of the survivors of the hospital ship Lanfranc, which was torpedoed without warning while transporting wounded to British ports:
We got down to the Hut to find part of the crew and some of the wounded soldiers. They were sent to us to wait for the ambulances. Many of the men were only half-dressed and all were cold and hungry. It was awful to see men with bandages torn off their wounded limbs. Some of the crew seemed all right, but after a while the shock began to tell, and they looked too dreadful for words. It was a trying time — men waiting in the kitchen, others dressing their wounds — dirty cups, plates, and jugs everywhere; life-belts strewn on the floor and litter everywhere. One of those rescued was the officers’ mess-room page, a mere child of about 15. We were told there were 242 British soldiers, only two walking cases, and 130 Germans; 35 were officers. Two RAMC men were lost, and some of the crew. Some of the less badly wounded Germans stampeded and jumped into a boat, partly filled with their own wounded. This they swamped, and the only person saved was an English boy, brought in to us with a crushed hand and leg. He was caught by a chain down the ship’s side, but it held him until he could be removed. Some of the wounded went to the piano and began to sing — they are wonderful. It made us feel queer to hear them sing “Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-bag”, &c. After a little while Miss Waldegrave said that she felt they ought to give thanks for being safe — would they join in a hymn? Every man came to the piano, except one who was too bad to move (the worst cases had been taken away). They sang most wonderfully, “O God our Help in Ages Past.” Then one man said, “Might they have ‘For Those in Peril on the Sea’ for their mates, as they did not know where they might be?” I have never heard anything like it. Many broke down. In the middle the cars came to take them away. They finished the hymn, then said Goodbye. They gripped our hands until it was painful. Many ran back and said, “Thank you, thank you; we shall never forget this morning.” We shall certainly never forget them. One of those rescued had neither arms nor legs; another, who had lost both hands and feet, managed to get on deck unaided!
We got down to the Hut to find part of the crew and some of the wounded soldiers. They were sent to us to wait for the ambulances. Many of the men were only half-dressed and all were cold and hungry. It was awful to see men with bandages torn off their wounded limbs. Some of the crew seemed all right, but after a while the shock began to tell, and they looked too dreadful for words. It was a trying time — men waiting in the kitchen, others dressing their wounds — dirty cups, plates, and jugs everywhere; life-belts strewn on the floor and litter everywhere. One of those rescued was the officers’ mess-room page, a mere child of about 15. We were told there were 242 British soldiers, only two walking cases, and 130 Germans; 35 were officers. Two RAMC men were lost, and some of the crew. Some of the less badly wounded Germans stampeded and jumped into a boat, partly filled with their own wounded. This they swamped, and the only person saved was an English boy, brought in to us with a crushed hand and leg. He was caught by a chain down the ship’s side, but it held him until he could be removed. Some of the wounded went to the piano and began to sing — they are wonderful. It made us feel queer to hear them sing “Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-bag”, &c. After a little while Miss Waldegrave said that she felt they ought to give thanks for being safe — would they join in a hymn? Every man came to the piano, except one who was too bad to move (the worst cases had been taken away). They sang most wonderfully, “O God our Help in Ages Past.” Then one man said, “Might they have ‘For Those in Peril on the Sea’ for their mates, as they did not know where they might be?” I have never heard anything like it. Many broke down. In the middle the cars came to take them away. They finished the hymn, then said Goodbye. They gripped our hands until it was painful. Many ran back and said, “Thank you, thank you; we shall never forget this morning.” We shall certainly never forget them. One of those rescued had neither arms nor legs; another, who had lost both hands and feet, managed to get on deck unaided!
April 24, 1917
Advance at dawn
Encouraged by three days of fine weather, we have made a general attack with English and Scottish troops on a front of about 12,000 yards in the Arras sector. The attack was not on such a scale, or delivered with such weight, as one of our great blows, like that of April 9, because we had not confronting us any such definite objective, like the old German first line. There is no continuous trench system, but rolling country, dotted with isolated posts and short bits of trenches. The great difficulty of attacking over this country, with successive slopes, all swept from machine-gun posts in various directions, is that it offers no definite object of attack, nor has artillery the same clear-cut target. Nonetheless our preliminary bombardment was terrific. The guns thundered continuously through the night, and in the hour immediately preceding the dawn, when the attack was delivered, it was as heavy as anything I have heard.As a result of last night’s bombardment, following the heavy shelling of the previous days, the villages on our immediate front have been practically wiped out of existence. The rapidity with which so great a weight of guns has been brought up after the recent German retreat is as remarkable as anything in all our great machine here. The attack was delivered just before dawn, and at most places our men met with little resistance at the start, the nearest trenches being battered out of existence, or held lightly by men with no fight left in them. The German barrage was better than in the opening fight of the battle on April 9, though still feeble compared with our own. It caused some casualties, but made no difference to the advance of our men.
I have talked today with some men wounded by that barrage, and they regard it only as bitter hard luck that they should have been among the few to be stopped, while all the rest were able to go on. In every fight it is the same story. The only thing our men really regret is being stopped before they have a chance of getting at the enemy. In their second lines, and in the trenches and posts beyond, the Germans fought stubbornly, and men from Eastern and Midland counties talk of bayonet work they had before the bullet came along which put them out of the fighting.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a-crowded-flight-over-german-lines-slh6c65d9
April 22, 1917
A crowded flight over German lines
Here is the record of a single flight of one of our airmen, made within the last few days. I have cut only the names of machines and such details as might be useful to the enemy: When our machines were attacked at Cambrai I attacked a hostile aviator at about 8,000ft. I saw that I hit his engine as we closed with one another. I half-looped to one side of him and then he dived, with a large trail of blue smoke. I dived after him to about 4,000ft and fired about 50 rounds into him, when he went down out of control. I watched him spinning down to about 1,000ft, the trail of smoke increasing.I was immediately attacked by three enemy machines, which drove me down to about 200ft. We were firing at one another, whenever possible, when at last I got into a good position and attacked one from above, having another on my right. I closed on the latter, turning in on him so close that I could get a sight actually on the pilot’s head. I saw my bullets strike the pilot’s head, and the machine then simply heeled over and span to the ground. The other two machines cleared off.
Having lost sight of all the other machines and being so low, I decided to fly home at about that height. A company of German cavalry going east along a small road halted and fired on me; also several machine-guns opened fire. After going west for about five minutes, I was again attacked by an enemy single-seater, and as he approached I rocked my machine until he was within 50 yards. I side-looped over him and fired a short burst at him. He seemed to clear off, and then attacked me again. These operations were repeated several times, until within five minutes of crossing the line (flying against a strong wind), when he was about 160 yards behind me. I looped straight over him and, coming out of the loop, fired a good long burst. I saw where I hit the pilot in the back, just above the edge of the cockpit. He immediately dived straight into the ground.
I then went over the German trenches, filled with soldiers, and was fired on by machine-guns, rifles, and small field-guns — in or out of range. I saw many small companies of infantry and cavalry going east along small roads. I noted no convoys or movement of artillery. I landed at the first aerodrome I saw. My machine was badly shot about.
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