4TH Battalion, The London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) in the Great War 1914 - 1919
THE 1/4TH AND 2/4TH BATTALIONS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS OF 1918 THE RESERVE
BATTALION, 1918
In the preceding chapters we have endeavoured to describe the part played by
each of the battalions in resisting the mighty German offensive.
As we have seen this gigantic thrust was finally brought to a standstill in
front of Amiens at the end of April, while the enemy's hopes in the Arras area
had been finally shattered by the magnificent resistance of the 28th March. The
German offensive capabilities were, however, by no means exhausted ; and in the
north the enemy once more taxed the British resources to the uttermost in the
Battle of the Lys, which raged from the 7th to the 30th April and bent our lines
back to Hazebrouck. With this action, or rather series of actions, we are not
directly concerned as the 4th London Regiment had no part in it, and we may
therefore turn at once to consider the situation in which the British Armies
found themselves when the German attacks were finally spent.
The enormous weight of the German attacks of March and April had involved
practically the whole of the British divisions in France, and all were in
consequence seriously reduced in numbers and sorely in need of rest and
re-organisation. The magnificent efforts which were made at home to replace the
lost guns and other material are well known and were of immediate effect ; but
the task of filling up the gaps in personnel was necessarily a longer one,
especially having regard to the waning man-power of the Empire and its
commitments in other theatres of war. Moreover, after their arrival in France it
was necessary for reinforcements to be thoroughly assimilated into their new
units before active work could be expected of them. The serious depletion of
force at this time is illustrated by the fact that after temporarily writing off
as fighting units no fewer than 8 divisions, and handing over to the French a
further 5 at the urgent request of Marshal Foch, there remained but 45 — and
most of these much reduced in numbers — available for service on the British
front.
The enemy's successes had, of course, cost him dear, but it was believed to be
by no means beyond the bounds of possibility that he would make yet another
effort to achieve a decisive victory, and the position was thus full of anxiety
for G.H.Q.
In the meantime the American Army was being poured into France as rapidly as the
whole available mercantile marine of the British Empire could bring it across
the Atlantic, but here again it was a question of time before these well-trained
but inexperienced troops would be .sufficiently valuable and numerous to turn
the scale against Germany.
The story of the months of May, June and July 1918 is one of preparation, in
which the British Armies were being gradually reorganised and used in active
defence of the new positions until an equilibrium of strength between the Allies
and the enemy was attained, and it was possible once more for the Allies to take
the offensive and roll back the tide of invasion in the most remarkable series
of victories which the world has ever seen.
We propose, therefore, to deal in this chapter, as briefly as possible, with the
operations during this period of reorganisation of each Battalion in turn, until
the opening of the Allied offensive in August 1918.
The l/4th Battalion
Arriving at Mont St Eloy early in the morning of the 31st March 1918 the l/4th
Londons settled down to a few days of so-called rest, days which, for officers
at least, are usually quite as hard work as those spent in battle. Companies
have to be reorganised and fresh " specialists " trained to their duties, the
completion of the men's clothing and equipment, and replenishment of all company
stores have to be looked to, in addition to a large amount of clerical work in
writing up the official account of the battle and in submitting names for
awards, mention in despatches and promotion. The Battalion on this occasion was
fortunate in getting the gaps in its ranks rapidly filled. On the 2nd and 3rd
April two drafts arrived numbering together 420 fully trained N.C.O.'s and men.
Fine drafts which later did gallant service, but which transformed the camp into
a mild imitation of the Tower of Babel, for among them could be traced the
accents of London, Kent, Surrey, Berkshire, the broader dialects of Yorkshire,
Cheshire, Lancashire and Wiltshire, and even the unmistakable tones of Scotland
and South Wales. Regulars, Territorials and New Armies were all represented, and
the rejuvenated Battalion provided a living example of the unity of the
Motherland in a great cause.
This great accession enabled an immediate reconstruction of the four companies
to take place, and they were accordingly reformed and the reinforcements
absorbed, A Company under Capt. H. N. Williams, M.C., B under Capt. R. S. B.
Simmonds, C under Capt. S. J. Barkworth, M.C., M.M., and D under Capt. T. B.
Cooper, M.C., M.M.
The troops were largely kept busy in digging new lines of defence round Haut
Avesnes, and all were much encouraged by the congratulations received from
G.H.Q., Army and Corps on their recent great stand.
Divisional rests, however, have ever proved a snare and a delusion, and those
who count on prolonged peace in billets are invariably disappointed. In spite of
its so recent gruelling the morale of the Division was high, and on the 6th
April it was called upon again to go into the line, this time in the XVII Corps
(Fergusson), but still in the First Army, which now extended as far south as
Neuville-Vitasse. After spending the night 5th/6th April at Villers au Bois the
l/4th Londons marched on the afternoon of the 6th to Agnez lez Duisans, and
proceeded the following afternoon to Ronville Caves. The march through the
streets of Arras in the dusk was a great surprise to those who had known this
pleasant httle city even as recently as the late summer of 1917. The civilians
were now all gone, hotels and shops were shut and scarcely a house had escaped
the German shell fire. The beautiful Cathedral had met the same ghastly fate as
that of Albert, and the Levis and Schramm barracks were but ghosts of their
former selves.
In Ronville Caves, a remarkable series of underground chalk quarries, the
Battalion found dry and adequate quarters. The caves are of considerable extent,
the limits east and west being a crater in old No Man's Land and Levis barracks
; but, lighted by electricity and tolerably ventilated, they formed quite
healthy billets and, in the wet weather then prevalent, far superior to bivouacs
or trenches.
The trenches now to be taken over by the 56th from the 1st Canadian Division lay
south of the Arras-Cambrai Road just in front of the village of Tilloy, for as
far as this had the German offensive bent our lines back. The front line, Tilloy
Trench, ran between Tilloy and the Bois des Boeufs and then southwards towards
Neuville-Vitasse, roughly following what had formerly been the east side of the
famous German redoubt. The Harp. In rear of the front trench were successively
Tilloy Support, View Trench and Tilloy Reserve. Communication trenches were
Scottish Avenue, Stokes Lane, Fusilier Lane and Wye Lane, the last named forming
the right boundary of the sector. The front and support trenches lay on the
forward slope of the hill well under observation from the enemy lines. View
Trench was on the reverse slope of the hill, and probably acquired its name in
the days when its defenders wore field-grey and looked in the other direction :
for us it was well sited with a good field of fire of about 200 yards. Trenches,
wire and dugouts were fair. The fact that but a few days earlier this had been a
back area was forced on one's attention, for the line ran through ruined Nissen
hut camps and horse standings, while in the German front line opposite stood the
remains of a Y.M.C.A. hut.
After four days of working parties at Ronville, in which the Battalion was
digging a new line, Telegraph Hill Switch, the l/4th Londons relieved the 8th
Middlesex in the line. This tour of duty lasted six days during which the enemy
remained inactive on this front, but which saw the outbreak of the Battle of the
Lys to which we have already alluded. To those who knew the Neuve Chapelle area
it seemed strange to hear of " fighting in Riez Bailleul and Laventie," "the
struggle for Estaires," "the fall of Merville." Ruined though some of these
places had been in 1916, they had afforded shelter to many hundreds of l/4th
London men, and it was now impossible to refrain from wondering what had become
of the villagers who had hitherto clung to their homes, and especially of the
little children.
On the last day in the line, the 19th, a raid on a large scale was carried out
by one company of the London Scottish on the right, and one platoon of the l/4th
Londons on the left, with the object of advancing the outpost line on the whole
sector, and establishing it an average of 500 yards in front of Tilloy Trench.
The assaulting platoon was drawn from C Company under 2/Lieut. E. L. Mills,
M.C., and afterwards (Mills having been hit) under 2/Lieut. J. L. Backhouse.
Zero was at 4.30 a.m., and eight minutes later the l/4th London platoon rushed
their objective after Stokes Mortar preparation. Unfortunately the enemy
garrison bolted and no identification was obtained, though they left a
machine-gun and many documents and maps in our hands. The London Scottish also
reached their objective and touch was gained with them. This advanced line was
held all day under German artillery fire, which steadily increased until the
Battalion was compelled to call for protective fire from our guns in
retaliation.
After 7 p.m. the enemy launched some heavy bombing attacks against the new
positions. These were vigorously resisted. A withdrawal to the original line
was, however, ordered by Brigade, and by 8 p.m. all the assaulting platoons were
back. A good deal of loss was undoubtedly inflicted on the enemy, and the effect
of this minor operation on the spirit of the men fully justified its execution.
Five N.C.O.'s and men of the Battalion were killed and 24 wounded.
Late that night the Battalion handed over its trenches to the l/2nd Londons and
withdrew in support to Ronville Caves, moving in the evening of the 20th April
to Dainville in Divisional reserve.
About this period the l/4th Londons were unfortunate in losing Major F. A.
Phillips, D.S.O., who had been an able second in command for nearly eight
months. He was much out of health principally through having swallowed rather
too much mustard gas at Oppy, and he did not rejoin the Battalion. His place was
taken by Major R. B. Marshall, 8th East Surrey Regiment, whose battalion had
been disbanded in January. Capt. Maloney's duties as Medical Officer had been
taken for a few weeks by Capt. J. Ridley, M.C., and subsequently by Capt. E.
Woody eat, a retired naval surgeon, who had served in 1915 and 1916 with the
Coldstream Guards.
Casualties in April were light beyond those sustained during the raid of the
19th. Lieut. L. E. Ballance was wounded this month. On the 24th April a draft of
officers joined as follows :
Lieut. J. W. Price, 2/Lieuts. H, W. Attenborrow, C. L. Henstridge, A. Holloway,
C. R. Mason, J, D. Miller, A. H. Millstead, W. P, Humphrey and F. S. Wise.
2/Lieut. R. T. Stevenson (5th Londons) ; 2/Lieuts. S. Blackhurst, M.C., A. F.
Potter, J. A. Voskule, W. Roughton (7th Londons) ; 2/Lieut. A. M. Bullock (15th
Londons).
On the 24th April Major-Gen. Dudgeon fell sick and went to hospital. He had
commanded the Division since August 1917 and brought it through two of its most
successful actions. A few days later Major-Gen. Hull resumed the command.
On the night 3rd/4th May the Divisional front was extended northwards as far as
the Arras-Douai railway, the additional frontage being taken over from the 1st
Canadian Division. Thereafter the sector was held with two brigades in line
(each with two battalions in trenches and one in support), and one brigade in
reserve. Of the reserve brigade two battalions were billeted at Dainville and
one at Berne ville.
The l/4th Londons now settled down to their share of the routine of working this
sector, and through May and June were in and out of the trenches, in line, in
support and in reserve alternately, the tours of duty varying between six and
nine days. These summer weeks form on the whole a pleasant memory for all who
passed through them. The general situation was indeed grave, and though for
G.H.Q. the summer months of 1918 must have been a period of unceasing anxiety,
the infantryman in the line saw life from a different angle. The trenches were
comfortable, the weather good, the men well fed and clothed. Mornings in the
trenches were spent in hard work on the defences, afternoons in resting,
evenings under a summer moon divided between digging and wiring. With the added
spice of patrolling and raiding, in which a lot of useful work was achieved, and
the enemy kept well on the alert, and wishing he was not opposite to the 56th
Division, the tours of duty in line passed pleasantly enough with very few
casualties. The Battalion was in fine fettle and in good conceit with itself, a
wholesome feeling which scored heavily when the time came for the final advance.
The enemy's chief activity was shell fire, and at times this developed to great
intensity. On the 27th May in particular, when the l/4th Londons were in
trenches, a very heavy bombardment, high explosive and mustard gas together,
burst on the area in the early morning. The Battalion stood to and prepared to
receive an attack, but no infantry movement occurred, and it subsequently
transpired that the disturbance was to cover an enemy raid on the division on
our right. For a time most of the Battalion had made up their minds that they
were about to fight. The Londoner is full of superstition, and this day the
Battalion was to have boiled rabbit for dinner. Boiled rabbit had figured in the
menu on the 28th March ! . . . Throughout the day the enemy artillery carried
out hurricane bombardments of various parts of the sector, and it was no
surprise to learn later that his offensive against Rheims had broken out.
During the period under review the Battalion paid five visits to the trenches at
Tilloy, with one tour of three days in Arras, spent in heavy working parties
carrying wire to Telegraph Hill and digging, and six days in support at St
Sauveur similarly occupied.
Rests in Divisional reserve were spent at Dainville, in which much good training
work was carried out and the routine broken occasionally by excellent sports
meetings, shooting matches and concerts. In connection with the concerts we must
again refer to the Quartermaster's string band. This excellent orchestra had
given its first public performance at St Aubin in January 1918. Receiving every
encouragement from the Colonel and the keenest support from the Padre, this band
had had an unbroken career of success and given the greatest pleasure to all
ranks of the Battalion. At Church Parades when out of the line the band always
played the hymns and voluntaries, and many a shattered barn in the villages
behind the trenches has re-echoed with the strains of the l/4th London string
band. The keenness and pride of the Quartermaster in his band were as delightful
to observe as his remarks when a cornet player was put out of action at Oppy
were startling. A portable harmonium was purchased to complete the equipment,
and when demobilisation broke the band up early in 1919, this harmonium,
decorated with the names of all the villages of France and Belgium in which the
orchestra had performed, was presented to the Padre for use in his parish at
home.
The general efficiency of the Battalion at this period reached a remarkably high
pitch, of which everyone associated with it had reason to be thoroughly proud.
It was well equipped, well drilled and disciplined, and a fine fighting unit.
This efficiency was not confined to the fighting ranks. At an inspection of the
Battalion Transport (Lieut. G. V. Lawrie), the Divisional Commander, was so
impressed with its turn-out that his remarks were circulated to other units as
an example. A fine fighting battalion cannot exist without fine administration,
and this was supplied in full measure by the Adjutant (Boutall), and by the rear
Headquarters under Mosely, Stanbridge, Faulkner, the Quartermaster, and Lawrie,
whose unceasing service to the fighting ranks were of immeasurable value.
Faulkner was a man of peculiarly lovable disposition. " Le gros papa," as he was
known to the little children in Dainville, forms in the minds of many French
peasants a picture of all that is kind and chivalrous in the British soldier.
Mosely writes : " Many is the night when the Huns were dropping bombs on the
village " — by no means an infrequent occurrence — " that Faulkner has
deliberately set himself to amuse a family of youngsters and keep them screaming
with laughter so that their merriment should drown the noise of the explosions."
The following officers joined the Battalion during May, June and July :
Capt. H. A. T. Hewlett ; Lieut. G. E. Stanbridge (recalled from six months' home
duty "on exchange"); 2/Lieuts. A. W. Chignell, T. Yoxall and G. H. Sylvester.
In the early days of June the influenza epidemic began to make its ravages, but
the Battalion suffered comparatively little. No men were allowed to rejoin in
the line from back areas, but were kept at Berneville until the Battalion came
out of the trenches. Casualties for May, June and July were very light.
2/Lieuts. W. P. Humphrey and T. H. Mawby were killed, 2/Lieut. A. W. Chignell
wounded, and about 12 N.C.O.'s and men killed and 40 wounded.
Early in July Capt. and Adjt. W. J. Boutall, M.C., was appointed to 168th
Brigade Headquarters as Assistant Staff Captain, and his duties in the Battalion
were assumed by Capt. S. J. Barkworth, M.C., M.M. Boutall had filled the
appointment of Adjutant since September 1916 with conspicuous success. His
organising ability was high and the standard of his work throughout had been
excellent. C Company was taken over about the same time by Capt. H. A. T.
Hewlett. 2/Lieut. F. S. Wise was seconded to the Machine-gun Corps. 2d
On the 13th July the 56th Division was relieved in the line by the 1st Canadian
Division, and passed into Corps reserve. The l/4th Londons, who had already been
in billets at Dainville for a week, moved to Lattre St Quentin, and during the
ensuing fortnight further changes of stations followed each other with rapidity.
The Battalion was quartered successively at Grand Rullecourt, Tincques and
Marqueffles Farm, the days being occupied with training interspersed with sports
and games. While the Battalion was at Tinques the railway station was visited on
the night of the 17th July by enemy aircraft, which dropped eight bombs, but
caused no loss of personnel.
The last night of July found the Division once more taking over the Tilloy
trenches from the Canadians, the l/4th Londons being at St Sauveur in Brigade
support until the 4th August, when they relieved the Kensingtons in the front
trenches. On the 8th August, the opening day of the great British advance, the
Battalion was relieved by the London Scottish and withdrew to billets in Arras.
At this point, therefore, we may leave the l/4th Battalion until the time comes
to deal with its role in the great battles of August and September 1918.
The 2/4th Battalion
The experience of the 2/4th Battalion during the summer months was very similar
to that of the l/4th Battalion.
The Battalion spent the whole period in the area of the Amiens defences, where
the Germans had penetrated most deeply into our positions. The Amiens defences
were now far in rear of the old 1916 line, and the work involved in constructing
new defences in what, up to five weeks earlier, had been a line of communication
area was immense. Shell hole defences had to be linked into continuous trench
lines, provided with support and reserve lines and communication trenches,
furnished with dugouts and shelters, and defended with wire entanglements.
This formed the greater part of the Battalion's work when in the line ; but it
certainly laboured during these months under disadvantages which the l/4th
Battalion did not suffer. The upheaval of the British organisation had been much
more widely extended in the Amiens area than it had been in the vicinity of
Arras, where the withdrawal of our forces had been comparatively shallow, and
for a time " back-of-the-line " organisation was inevitably weak. Billets were
few and bad, and for the most part the Battalion bivouacked when out of the
line. The same opportunities of resting during periods spent in reserve did not,
therefore, occur.
We have also recorded that the casualties suffered by the l/4th Battalion at
Oppy were made good promptly by a veteran draft which was thoroughly absorbed
into the unit during the period of waiting for the final advance. The 2/4th
Battalion, which had been more knocked about in the great battles of March and
April, was reinforced very slowly, and indeed its losses of the early part of
the year were never completely replaced. Such reinforcements as it did receive
consisted chiefly of immature youths from home — all endowed with magnificent
spirit and courage, but by the nature of the case, less valuable soldiers until
they had had a good deal of training in the line. The recuperation of the 2/4th
Battalion was thus effected under not the most favourable conditions : a
consideration which should count in their favour when we come later to consider
the victories they helped to gain in August and September.
A few days of rest in the St Riquier area were allowed the 58th Division after
relief from the action at Cachy. The 2/4th Londons were billeted at Le Plessiel
between the 27th April and the 6th May, and though no large drafts were
received, the accessions of strength were sufficient to allow of a four-company
organisation being retained. These were organised : A under Capt. F. J.
Griffiths, B under Capt. G. H. Hetley, C under Capt. W. C. Morton, M.C., and D
under 2/Lieut. E. V. Grimsdell. Ribands were awarded to those who had recently
been decorated, by the Divisional Commander, who also inspected the Battalion
Transport and commended it most highly on its turn-out.
The III Corps, which comprised the 18th and 47th (London) Divisions, besides the
58th, was now responsible for the Amiens defences on the line west of Albert
from the Ancre to Aveluy Wood.
On the 7th May 1918 the 58th Division came from Corps reserve into the line, and
from this date until the 8th August, the beginning of the final advance, was
continually in action. The 2/4th Battalion's tours of duty were somewhat
irregular owing to the constant changes of position which occurred during this
period. The first sector for which the Division was responsible was almost due
west of Albert, in front of the ruined village of Bouzin-court. For a fortnight
the 2/4th Battalion was in reserve positions, either bivouacked at Molliens au
Bois or Warloy or in astonishingly bad billets in Mirvaux, and was given a role
as counter-attack battalion to be employed as occasion should arise in the event
of a renewed enemy offensive. This involved constant readiness and much
reconnaissance work by officers. The last ten days of May were spent in
trenches, at first in support and afterwards in the front system. Working
parties formed the principal item of routine, but a great deal of very valuable
patrolling work was carried out. Over the whole Corps front No Man's Land was
indeed nightly occupied by our patrols, who were always ready for a scrap with
the enemy and endeavouring to pick up an identification. This was partly to
train up the young soldiers in the way they should go and partly for the
essential purpose of ascertaining the enemy's intentions as to a further attack.
On the last night of May 2/Lieut. George took a fighting patrol across to the
enemy front line after heavy trench mortar preparation. It was found that much
damage had been done, but though the trench was searched for 200 yards no enemy
were met and the patrol withdrew without having suffered loss.
At this period the enemy was comparatively quiet, confuiing his activity to
shell fire in which gas shell figured prominently.
Reinforcements received in May were :
Lieut. B. Rivers Smith (recalled from six months' duty "on exchange ") ;
2/Lieuts. H. G. A. Leach and J. W. George (4th Londons) ; Lieut. H. C. Platts
and 2/Lieut. A. L. D. Bold (7th Londons) ; 2/Lieuts. A. J. N. Sievwright and J.
Horsfield (12th Londons) ; 2/Lieut. A. R. Armfield (20th Londons) ; 2/Lieuts. H.
M. Bradley and W. N. M. Girling (21st Londons). At the end of the month 2/Lieut.
Sievwright rejoined his own regiment. Drafts of N.C.O.'s and men totalled 142.
The casualties in May were comparatively light. 2/Lieut. H. M. Bradley and 1 man
were killed by the falling in of the dugout they were occupying, and in addition
2 men were killed and 12 wounded.
At the beginning of June the 2/4th Battalion moved back to Contay in Divisional
reserve, and resumed its counter-attack duties. Here a severe loss was
sustained in Lieut. -Col. W. R. H. Dann, D.S.O., who was appointed to command
the 60th Infantry Brigade with the temporary rank of Brigadier-General. Lieut.
-Col. Dann had been in continuous command of the 2/4th Londons since November
1916, and during the Battalion's seventeen months of active service he had held
the confidence and affection of all ranks. His great skill as a commander, his
imperturbable coolness in action, his unfailing care for the welfare of his men,
had endeared him to all, and the Battalion said good-bye to him with genuine
sorrow. The command was taken temporarily by Major Tollworthy, but on the 8th
June Major Grover, D.S.O., M.C., who had been hit at Cachy, rejoined and assumed
command with the acting rank of Lieut. -Col.
On the 5th June the Battalion moved to tents and shelters at Mirvaux, where
attempts were made to carry out a few days' training. Standing crops, which
might on no account be damaged, interfered sadly, and but little was
accomplished. The plaint of the Divisional Staff made at the time is rather
pathetic : " Training areas have not yet been allotted. As is usually the case
the hiring of these is a very lengthy procedure, and is not likely to be
completed before the Division leaves the area." Apparently even the full tide of
the German offensive had beat in vain against the massive structure of
regulations.
The end of May had witnessed the recrudescence of fighting on the French front
on the Chemin des Dames. Once again the weight of the enemy's assault had
overtaxed our Allies' resources in defence, and by the 4th June the Germans had
reached their 1914 line on the Marne at Chateau-Thierry, and were threatening
Paris. It was firmly anticipated that this fresh German success would mean
another blow against the British front at its junction with the French, and to
meet this new menace the XXII Corps was reconstituted under Sir A. J. Godley, in
G.H.Q. reserve. To this new formation were posted the 12th, 37th and 58th
Divisions, the whole of which were held in readiness to move at two hours'
notice. In accordance with this scheme the 173rd Brigade was moved to the Amiens
area, the 2/4th Londons being billeted — this time in comfortable quarters — at Guignemicourt on the 10th June.
The German attack between Montdidier and Noyon did in fact develop, and the 37th
Division was moved southwards. The 58th Division was, however, not called upon,
and, the danger being passed, returned to the line after a week, the 2/4th
Battalion moving on the 17th June to Molliens au Bois.
For the remainder of June and the whole of July the 2/4th Battalion remained in
forward areas. At first the 173rd Brigade was in line astride the Amiens-Albert
Road and the Battalion successively occupied positions in reserve in the La
Houssoye line, in support in the Dodo-Hill-Darling system, and in front trenches
in the Ethel-Dandy system.
The work on defences and the patrolling activity of the previous month were here
continued without abatement, but with very little incident of interest. During
the last week of June the weather, which had been uniformly good, was broken by
some heavy showers, which at once developed the extraordinary propensity of
French mud for turning into glue on the least provocation. This hampered work on
the defences but had no effect on the spirit of the Battalion, which with
careful training was now developing once more into a well-knit and disciplined
fighting unit full of good cheer and confidence.
On the 25th June Capt. F. W. Walker, D.S.O., who had been wounded at Cachy,
rejoined and resumed his duties as Adjutant.
The following officers joined in June :
Lieut. A. R. Muddell (4th Londons) ; Lieut. G. de G. Barkas, M.C. (to
Intelligence Officer) and 2/Lieuts. T. G. Owen and S. T. Morris (1st Londons) ;
2/Lieut. H. Slater (3rd Londons) ; Lieut. J. D. Morrison and 2/Lieuts. G. H.
Main, R. D. Cotton and K. W. Gauld (14th Londons) ; 2/Lieut. F. Bidgood (16th
Londons) ; Lieut. O. I. Mansel-Howe (23rd Londons) ; and Lieut. C. C. Brissenden
(A.S.C.).
Reinforcements of 181 N.C.O.'s and men— mostly young soldiers — were also
received.
A few days spent in reserve at Baizieux in the first week of July brought the
2/4th Battalion for the first time into contact with American troops, a
battalion of whom were bivouacked here.
The month of July was passed in similar fashion to those which had preceded it.
From the 6th to the 18th the Battalion was in the Ethel-Dandy system, astride
the Amiens-Albert Road, at first in front trenches and subsequently in support.
On the 18th a withdrawal to reserve lines at Baizieux and Lavieville was
effected, and here the Battalion remained for nine days. After one day spent in
cleaning up in Behencourt the Battalion moved into line again on the 27th July,
relieving the 30th Australian Battalion in support trenches around Ribemont,
between that village and Buire-sur-Ancre.
Life in the Ribemont sector was comparatively peaceful. As before the men were
principally occupied in working parties on the defences and the officers in
reconnoitring lines of approach to the front trenches. On the whole the enemy
was quiet, though he frequently added insult to injury by dropping on the
Battalion gas shells evidently intended for the batteries which were in action
just in rear of it. The trenches were comfortable, for all these months of hard
work had been to some purpose ; and the presence of ruined villages in the near
vicinity was the means of adding touches of home life in the shape of a few odd
sticks of broken furniture which had formerly graced a cottage home in Buire. An
inter-platoon boundary in one of the trenches was marked by what had once been a
handsome perambulator, while a little further on a basket-work dressmaker's
model stood sentry over a shell hole in ludicrous isolation.
The ravages of the influenza epidemic of June and July were severe, and
casualties from this cause far exceeded those inflicted by the enemy. Between
the battle at Cachy and the end of July no fewer than 427 other ranks of the
Battalion were sent to hospital, though most of these rejoined after a week or
two of absence.
On the 19th July the Battalion lost Lieut. S. A. Seys (15th Londons attached),
the assistant adjutant, who had served with it since February 1917, and who left
for attachment to the staff of the 60th Brigade. An able administrator, Seys,
who, though not a 4th London officer, had loyally made the regiment his own
during his service with it, left behind him many friends who sincerely regretted
his departure.
During July Lieut. A. G. Croll and drafts of 92 other ranks joined the
Battalion. 2/Lieuts. Gauld and Cotton rejoined their own regiment. While the
Battalion was at Baizieux the medical officer, Lieut. Dunaway, U.S. Army, was
presented by the Corps Commander with the Military Cross, awarded him for
services in March and April. It is believed that Dunaway was one of the first
American officers to receive a British decoration for gallantry in the field.
At the end of July companies were commanded as follows : A by Lieut. C. C,
Brissenden, B. by Capt. A. G. Croll, C by Capt. W. H. Parslow and D by Capt. B.
Rivers Smith.
All who served in the Albert sector during the summer of 1918 will remember the
Albert Road. This was very largely used at night by incoming and outgoing troops
who used to join it somewhere in the neighbourhood of Pont Noyelles. The journey
up it was an experience which it would indeed be hard to forget. On both sides
of the road was ranged battery after battery ; it seemed impossible that so many
guns could be massed in so small a compas. " A succession of blinding flashes
alternated with inky blackness. The road itself was encumbered with ammunition
lorries, ration limbers and field ambulances. Thundering detonations from the
guns and a continued grating roar from the traffic made the journey a
nightmare." So writes Croll. The picture is indeed sufficiently disturbing. But
in spite of the noisy horror a Battalion such as the 2/4th Londons, who had made
close acquaintance with the seamy side of war in the retreat from La Fere, could
not but be heartened by the realisation that already past losses had been made
good, and that night by night the roar of the British guns was becoming louder
and yet louder, till at last they were ready to roar forth the barrage which was
to lead our troops to final
victory.
The whole experience of July 1918 indeed, though devoid of exciting incident,
was such as to impress the Battalion with the realisation that the time of
waiting was nearly at an end, and that the equilibrium, to gain which we had
been straining every nerve for three months, was almost attained. Heavy as the
German bombardments had been from time to time, our guns with increasing
frequency demonstrated their power to silence the enemy artillery. The results
achieved by patrolling had shown that in growing measure we were becoming
masters of No Man's Land, and encounters with enemy patrols afforded conclusive
proof of the individual prowess and courage of our men as well as their superior
morale.
Relieved from the trenches at Ribemont by the 1/lst Cambridgeshire Regiment, the
2/4th Londons concentrated at Behencourt on the evening of the 2nd August, and,
embussing at once, reached Pernois, in the Domart area, in the early morning of
the 3rd. Here it remained till brought back to the line to take part in the
great battle of the 8th August.
The Reserve Battalion
In April 1918 the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion moved from Blackdown Camp to Maida
Barracks, Aldershot. The reason for this move was primarily to provide troops
for use in tactical schemes by students at the Senior Officers' School, then
stationed at Oudenarde Barracks.
While carrying out this duty the Battalion was called upon to supply large
parties daily for the School where they were commanded by Student Officers. It
cannot be said that this duty, which fell largely on the "A IV " platoons, was
beneficial to training. The regular course of instruction was interfered with,
and a large amount of field work was carried out before the recruits engaged in
it were sufficiently advanced to appreciate what they were supposed to be doing.
The individual training was thus delayed and its resumption rendered
proportionately difficult when at last the attachment to the School ceased.
During the period spent at Maida the Expeditionary Company practically ceased to
exist, as all N.C.O.'s and men who rejoined from hospital or the Command Depot
were posted temporarily to the 1st (Reserve) Battalion, which remained at
Blackdown.
The German offensive of March completely revolutionised the Reserve Battalion.
The frightful losses at the front had to be made good immediately at all costs.
Training staffs were reduced to a minimum, and every fit officer and N.C.O. as
well as every recruit, whose training was advanced enough to lend colourable
justification to it, was at once sent overseas. The call for men did not cease
here. The General Order forbidding the despatch of " young soldiers " overseas
was, under pressure of circumstances, revoked, and volunteers were called for
from the "A IV " boys. The response was, as may be expected, magnificent. Under
age, under-trained, these gallant boys had but one thought — to join their
overseas battalions in the fighting line. At the end of a week the Battalion was
almost denuded of recruits under training, while the orderly room and training
staffs were on the point of breakdown from almost continuous work and strain.
Among the first to answer the call was Lieut. -Col. Hanbury Sparrow, the
Commanding Officer, who rejoined his regiment. His place in command was taken by
Lieut. -Col. Sir Hugh Lacon, D.S.O., the Warwickshire Regiment, who retained the
appointment till shortly before the Armistice.
So reduced in numbers was the Battalion that it was no longer useful to the
Senior Officer's School, and it was accordingly relieved by a stronger battalion
and returned to Blackdown early in August, being quartered in Frith Hill
Hutments. At the end of August the duties of second in command were assumed by
Major H. J. Duncan-Teape, who rejoined from hospital.
Training was resumed on the usual routine at Frith Hill, and at the end of
August the emergency order as to despatching "A IV " boys on draft was
rescinded. The young soldiers, therefore, reverted to the former scheme of more
gradual training. The staff was, however, busily employed with 400 coal-miners,
enlisted into the Welsh Regiment, and sent to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion for
training. These miners were excellent material, but their training was not
completed until the week following the Armistice, so that they were deprived of
the opportunity of seeing active service and were rapidly demobilised. These
Welshmen were endowed in large measure with the national gift for part-singing,
and were thus enabled to contribute materially to the social life of the
Battalion.
During Armistice week a further reduction of Home Cadres involved the
amalgamation of the 1st and 3rd (Reserve) Battalions, under the title of 1st
(Reserve) Battalion, so that the one reserve unit was made responsible for
supply of drafts (few of course were needed) to the whole Fusilier Brigade. The
combined unit was commanded by Col. Vickers Dunfee, V.D., until his
demobilisation early in December, when command was given to Lieut. -Col. A.
Mather (Leinster Regiment).
Shortly after Christmas 1918 demobilisation began to thin the ranks of the
Battalion, while further ravages were made by the transfer of most of the "A IV
" boys to Young Soldier Battalions, preparatory to their despatch to join the
Army of the Rhine. In February 1919 the Battalion moved to Shoreham-by-Sea, and
by the end of the month its disbandment was completed.