The Seventh Manchesters by S. J. Wilson (top ten ebook reader .txt) π
CHAPTER I.
Holding up the Turk.
In September, 1914, the 7th Bn. Manchester Regiment set out for active service in the East in goodly company, for they were a part of the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division, the first territorials to leave these shores during the Great War. After many interesting days spent on garrison duty in the Sudan and Lower Egypt they journeyed to Gallipoli soon after the landing had been effected, and took a continuous part in that ill-fated campaign until the final evacuation. The beginning of 1916 thus found them back in Egypt, where they were taking part in General Maxwell's scheme for the defence of the Suez Canal. The things that befell the battalion during this long period have been admirably described in Major Hurst's book With Manchesters in the East, and this short history will attempt to continue the narrative from the point where it left off.
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avail, and a more peremptory order than the last was received, so he
took a sorrowful farewell and departed, followed by the regrets of the
whole battalion, and indeed of a good number of the division. βSome have
greatness thrust upon them,β was applicable in his case, for he had not
sought promotion but preferred to remain a βparish priestβ and live
amongst the men. Much the same remark applied to the C.O. who, in the
absence of General Henley at Divisional Headquarters, was called upon
to take command of the brigade during the succeeding weeks, for he
always expressed his preference for battalion work. Owing to the fact
that Major Rae was in hospital at this time with the βflue,β Capt.
Creagh assumed command of the battalion, and Lt. Barratt being on a
monthβs leave in England, Lt. Wilson was temporarily appointed Adjutant.
Capt. Palmer, an old officer of the 7th, who had been carrying out
important work in England since his recovery from a wound obtained in
Gallipoli on June 4th, returned to us some weeks previous to this and
was put in command of βCβ company.
During our period in reserve the 126th brigade had continued our
worrying tactics and had attempted to raid La Signy Farm. They found the
place strongly held, however, and after repeated efforts to get to the
Hun positions had been forced to abandon the attempt. When we took over
the front line from the 10th Manchesters for a continuous spell of
sixteen days, we found that we were expected to co-operate at once in a
forward movement with the New Zealanders, who were in the Hebuterne
sector, and who intended to occupy a shorter line across the valley. The
first day, July 19th, found us making preparations for this operation at
express speed ready for evening. Lieut. Edge, an old second line
officer, was put in charge of a party supplied by βCβ company, and they
were expected to capture and hold a Boche post about 500 yards away. It
was decided that the silent method would be the best, so artillery
support was declined. Edge displayed consummate skill and patience in
carrying out this hazardous enterprise, and his difficulties were not
lessened by disturbing events on both flanks. All along the New Zealand
front, from Hebuterne to Rossignol Wood, an advance was taking place,
while immediately on the left the 6th were moving forward and in the
process had met with considerable resistance so that a pitched battle
had arisen. To add to the troubles the Naval Division on our right had
selected this night for a raid near Beaumont Hamel, accompanied with
noise, with the result that the Hun put down his protective barrage all
along our ridge. Our front line was packed with men who were to go over
and dig a communication trench and generally assist in the consolidation
when the post had been captured, and how they escaped casualties from
this shelling was nothing short of a miracle. Meanwhile, Edge and his
men were creeping steadily forward, and were encountering difficulties
amongst huge shell holes, loose tags of wire and a very irregular hedge
which they were trying to follow as a guide. Eventually they reached the
post and took the enemy completely by surprise. A short rush carried
them in and one Boche was captured, but the rest got away in the
darkness, leaving their gear behind them. The consolidating party
followed up quickly, and covered by a protective screen who lay out well
in front in the vicinity of Red Cottage, they dug L.G. positions, fire
steps for riflemen and placed coils of wire out in front and on the
flanks. A good deal of the C.T. was also dugβquite sufficient at any
rate to enable a careful man to crawl down to the new post in daylight.
It was a good nightβs work, and earned a well-deserved M.C. for Lieut.
Edge and M.Mβs. for Sgt. Banahan and three others.
Next day, brigade considered the necessity for careful consolidation of
the ground gained by the 6th and 7th, but Capt. Creagh intimated that he
wished to make his position more secure by capturing the Triangle, a
strong triangular redoubt which lay in the grounds of La Signy Farm, and
which dominated the post we had just taken. Permission was granted to
carry out this enterprise, and once more preparations were rushed
forward and orders made out for the operation to be accomplished that
night. This time βDβ company, temporarily commanded by Lt. Douglas, was
selected to provide the attackers. They were back in reserve, close to
Batt. H.Q., and on suitable ground for carrying out a quick rehearsal.
Also it was decided that the best method of clearing the Boche would be
by bombing. The battalion bombing officer was Lieut. Gresty, who
belonged to βDβ company, and he was put in command of the attacking
party, 2nd-Lt. Gorst, at his own request, being detailed to assist him.
The post captured the previous night was the βjumping offβ place, and
the plan was to work along the enemy trench to the right, clear it by
bombing, and so get to the Triangle. The whole operation was a huge
success, and never did the eager fighting qualities of the Fleur de Lys
show up to prouder advantage than in the display given by βDβ company
that night. The unexpected direction of approach took the enemy
completely by surprise, for our men had not proceeded far before they
caught a working party out in the open. There was a short scrap, but
most of the poor Jerries had no weapons handy, and they ran off
squealing and chattering like a lot of monkeys, leaving their dead and
wounded behind. Our men pushed on quickly, anxious to make the fullest
possible use of the surprise element, until the northern corner of the
Triangle was reached. Here they split up into two parties, Gresty
continuing the original direction, and Gorst turning along to the right.
The latter party found the trench strongly occupied, but the enemy were
so oblivious of what was happening that they were busy βdishing out
stewβ for the evening meal. When they were surprised a few of them
indeed showed plucky fight, hurriedly seizing bombs and throwing them
wildly in the direction of the attackers. Others succeeded in grasping
their rifles, and Gorst received a nasty bullet wound in the shoulder,
but not before he had accounted for one or two Huns with his revolver.
Sgt. Horsfield, who understood perfectly the meaning of βCarry on,
Sergeant!β continued this part of the show, and the Huns were chased
along the trench to the western apex. Here a pitched bombing battle
ensued, and very soon the enemy got out and raced across the open in the
direction of the farm. Meanwhile, Gresty had led his men over a sort of
switch back trench, for it had been so heavily pounded by our Newton
T.Mβs. that it was difficult to make it out at all in the dark.
Nevertheless they struggled along, and finding the far corner of the
Triangle occupied, quickly bombed the enemy out of it and proceeded to
consolidate. At the same time other parties, each of one N.C.O. and six
men, had been detailed in the work of manning various posts en route,
digging L.G. emplacements, and wiring and constructing of communication
trenches. In fact, in a very short time the whole place, which had been
a Hun strong point, was swarming with British soldiers busily working to
turn round the defences.
Just as dawn was breaking a few Huns effected an entrance into one of
the trenches and commenced to bomb the post at the far corner, whereupon
the late Lce.-Cpl. Lockett of βCβ company, who was in charge of the post
at the apex, took a couple of men and promptly counter attacked them.
Their leader, an N.C.O. with the Iron Cross and another man were
captured, while the rest made off again. Lce.-Cpl. Lockett was awarded
the D.C.M. for his sensible and courageous action. A good many
casualties must have been inflicted on the enemy during this nightβs
work for they left a number of dead and wounded behind, whilst several
others suffering from slighter wounds must have got away. They left
booty in our hands, and the large number of rifles and machine guns
alone indicated the strength of the garrison. Our men obtained plenty of
souvenirs, but they were sensible enough to hand over anything of
military value, which was returned to them after examination by
competent authorities. Useful disposition maps, and intelligence
reports, to say nothing of piles of letters and post-cards were thus
sent up for inspection, while during the next few days when visiting the
area occupied by βDβ company one was greeted by the unwonted scent of
cigar smoke, for the Hun was ever a connoisseur on cheap cigars.
Heavy rain during the following days converting our new trenches into a
quagmire, the necessity for digging and cleaning up became all the more
urgent, although it entailed a heavy strain upon the men under most
uncomfortable conditions. As βB,β βCβ and βDβ companies had each βhad a
stuntβ and covered themselves with glory, it now remained for βAβ
company to do likewise. Their turn came on the night of July 27th, when
it was decided to push forward and occupy Cetorix Trench, about 300
yards beyond the Triangle, and so make our position even more secure.
Unfortunately there was very heavy rain in the early evening, but the
party went out, and after a serious dispute with the enemy, in which
2nd-Lt. Goodier, M.C., was wounded again, gained their objective. What
was supposed to be a trench, however, was found to be a sunken road,
frightfully shell-pitted, and in a most appalling condition of mud and
water. It was not considered worth holding and the whole party was
wisely withdrawn.
The La Signy Farm fighting was not yet over, for on the morning of
August 3rd, while βBβ company were in the front line, the enemy put down
a heavy barrage on all our positions, particularly on the Triangle.
Then, just as dawn broke, a party of about forty Huns rapidly started
across No Manβs Land, but the 7th were too much for them. They stuck to
their posts and rapidly emptied Lewis guns and rifles amongst them, and
when they were sufficiently close greeted them also with bombs. The
Boche became disorganised and scattered, some groping about for gaps in
our hastily constructed wire, but it was a hopeless business and the
remaining plucky ones cleared off in disgust. Then Lt. Pell-Ilderton
followed out with a small party, and finding a couple of dead brought
them in. The Huns had carefully removed all evidences of identification
before the venture, but one man had a black and white cockade in his
cap, which proved him to be a Prussian. As the previous division was
known to be Wurtemburger, we immediately notified this fact to H.Q.
Further proof was afforded by a slightly wounded Boche who, having
apparently got lost, had wandered into a post occupied by the 6th.
That day we were relieved by the L.Fβs. and went back into divisional
reserve, this time to billets in Louvencourt, and there received
congratulations from various people for our excellent work during the
last long spell in the line. The final incident furnished Col. Manger
with an extra battalion motto: βWhat we have, we hold.β For the attack
on the Triangle, Military Crosses were awarded to Lieut. Gresty and
2nd-Lt. Gorst, while Sgt. Horsfield, who had already earned the D.C.M.
and Belgian Croix de Guerre when with the 9th Manchesters, received a
Military Medal. Five other ranks were similarly decorated.
The battalion was augmented about this time by the arrival of the cadre
of the 2nd
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