The last year of the war opened with grave difficulties for the British Army in France. The Russian Revolution enabled Germany to move forty-six divisions from the Eastern to the Western Front by March, 1918. On the Allied side some five American divisions had arrived, but the Italian debacle at Caporetto had made it neces sary to send five British and four French divisions to that front under General Plumer, in whom our troops in France had great confidence. Actually, when the expected attack came, the number of Allied and German divisions on the Western Front was nearly equal, and the Allies disposed of about 1,000 more heavy guns. But whereas the German High Command had concentrated no fewer than ninety-six divisions at the front of attack, viz., the fronts of the Fifth Army and part of the Third Army on their left, the British troops attacked were less than a fourth of that strength and there were practically no British reserves except the Cavalry Corps. At this time the French Army had twenty-five divisions in the quiet Vosges sector.
Further, the British Fifth Army front, most of which had recently been taken over from the French, was so thinly manned that it had not been possible to complete the defences and many of the troops had been a long time in the line without relief. Also the Army was so short of reinforcements that in February infantry brigades were cut to three battalions instead of four.
The Military Representatives of the Supreme War Council, which had been formed at Versailles, had not failed to point out the dangers in the situation and had long urged the formation of a general reserve under General Foch, but for various reasons this step had not been taken.
On 21st March the German High Command opened their long-prepared offensive in these advantageous conditions and in overwhelming strength. Three days later Foch was appointed Generalissimo of the Allied Armies by the Supreme War Council and unity of command on the Western Front was achieved through disaster.
Disbandment Of Battalions
By the cutting down of brigades to three battalions the Regiment lost the 10th Battalion on 5th February and the 21st Battalion on 16th March. This was followed later by the disbandment of the 7th Battalion on 20th June, the 8th Battalion on 31st July, and the 9th Battalion on 2nd August. The 14th (Light) Division was never re-formed as a fighting formation after the German March offensive.
Opening Of The German Offensive - 21st March
After a period of calm on the front, a terrific bombardment, using a big percentage of gas shells, opened on a fifty-mile front against our Third and Fifth Armies at 5.30 a.m. on 21st March. It was a morning of thick fog and the Germans, by using a new method of infiltration instead of linear attack, easily penetrated the thinly held "forward zone" of the Fifth Army and were well into the " battle zone" before their advance was slowed up at all.
On 21st March the 14th (Light) Division was in the front line of the Fifth Army. Our 8th and 9th Battalions were in the forward zone near the St. Quentin—Vendeuille Road and the 7th Battalion - in the battle zone near Benay. As all form of communication except by runner was destroyed, or impossible owing to the fog, accounts are incomplete. Many small parties fought gallantly to a finish, but the defensive system adopted in these areas was generally inadequate to cope with an attack where the odds were four to one in men and three to one in guns. The enemy were not checked until reaching the "rear zone," where the 43rd Brigade checked their advance for some hours.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. H. S. Dimmer, V.C., M.C. (60th), was killed in action on 21st March when commanding the 2nd/4th Bn. The Royal Berkshire Regiment.
Last Days of the 14th (Light) Division, 22nd March to 6th April
On 22nd March the 14th (Light) Division held the Germans on a reduced front on the canal. The enemy crossed at several points on the next day, and the retirement continued on the 24th and 25th. An exhausted remnant, about 2,000 strong, of a fine division reached L'Ecouvillon on the 26th.
The Division was relieved between 4th and 6th April. A short period employed in the training of American Autry units followed and it was then disbanded after an honourable existence of four arduous years.
During the retirement our 9th Battalion lost 23 officers and 620 other ranks. The muster on 26th March was as follows : 7th Battalion, 5 officers and 140 other ranks; 8th Battalion, 1 officer and 30 other ranks; 9th Battalion, 2 officers and 70 other ranks.
Losses of the three battalions: Officers about 70, other ranks: over 2,000.
With the 20th (Light) Division
The 20th (Light) Division, with our 11th and 12th Battalions, formed part of the Corps reserve of the XVIII Corps. At 1 p.m. on 21st March they moved to concentration areas, and manned the rear zone Vaux to Rumignon early on the 22nd. Having covered the retirement of the forward divisions, positions were held which checked the enemy's advance on the 23rd, and after several gallant attacks the Division continued to maintain the line of the River Somme until ordered to retire at 12.20 p.m. on the 24th. Retirement continued until the end of the month, owing to flanks being constantly turned, but cohesion was never lost and our battalions took part in many hard-fought and often successful actions. Both battalions lost their Commanding Officers, Lieutenant-Colonel G. K. Priaulx, D.S.O., 11th Battalion, killed, and Lieutenant-Colonel L. G. Moore, D.S.O., 12th Battalion, wounded and captured.
Losses of the two battalions.—Officers: killed 11, wounded 19, missing 6; other ranks: 885.
Our Other Battalions
The 17th Battalion were with the 29th Division in G.H.O. reserve on 21st March, but by the next day they were supporting the front-line battalions near Tincourt Wood. Retirement was soon commenced and continued in good order until 30th March. A breach always occurred somewhere and flanks were therefore exposed. Their Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel A. P. H. Le Prevost, D.S.O., was wounded on the 27th, and his successor, Major E. Fairlie, was killed in a successful counter-attack on the 30th.
Losses.—Officers: killed 2, wounded 10, missing 1; other ranks,361.
The battle honours ST. QUENTIN; ROSIERES; AVRE; and BAPAUME, 1918, were granted to the Regiment in respect of the operations of the Fifth Army in March, 1918.
Arras 1918
The 1st Battalion were in the V Corps, Third Army. They had lost 320 men from mustard gas in their last tour of duty in the trenches. On the 22nd they were moved up in the Dessart Switch Line, but retirement began on the 23rd and continued until the 27th. During this time the Battalion usually acted on the initiative of its commander, keeping cohesion and stopping gaps as best they could. By the 27th they had reached the old British trenches near Beaumont Hamel. On the 28th they were reorganized as one company of a composite battalion formed from the 99th Brigade and after 1st April they took no further part in the battle.
Losses. Officers: killed 3, wounded 9, missing 1; other ranks: 475.
The 18th Battalion came back with the 41st Division from Italy on 21st March; they were in Corps reserve to the IV Corps and moved to Achiet-le-Grand on the 22nd. They were engaged in heavy fighting on the 24th, when their Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel R. Pennell, D.S.O., was wounded. The Battalion could not be extricated and the survivors, acting as one company, assisted the 123rd Brigade in their retirement to Gommecourt. On the 29th/ 30th they were relieved, being then about 80 strong, having been nearly 900 strong on 21st March.
Losses: Officers: killed 3, wounded 5, missing 7; other ranks: about 800.
German Attack on 9th April
The next action in which the Regiment was involved was the enemy's attack on the Second Army near Neuve Chapelle, extended the next day to the Ypres—Comines Canal. Our 16th Battalion, 100th Brigade, 33rd Division, was involved near Neuve Eglise on 12th April. Their flank was turned and their Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel A. V. Johnson, D.S.O., and his Adjutant were both wounded. Isolated units fought on gallantly until the 15th, when their remnants were formed into a composite battalion with the 9th Highland Light Infantry. On the 17th this unit was attacked, but held its position intact.
Losses: Officers: killed 4, wounded 9, missing 10; other ranks: 544.
The battle honours YPRES, 1918; MESSINES, 1918; LYS BAILLEUL; KEMMEL; and BETHUNE were gained for the Regiment by the 16th Battalion in the above operations.
This ended the Regiment's part in this critical period. The Germans had failed to separate the British from the French; they had failed to capture the important railheads of Amiens and Hazebrouck and the Channel ports were safe. By the end of May the situation was saved and victory in the autumn became a definite possibility.
The Allies Take The Offensive
8th August. The first great step forward was the successful offensive of the Fourth Army under Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Rawlinson near Amiens on 8th August. As soon as enemy resistance hardened the Third Army, on the left of the Fourth Army, were ordered to attack.
13th Bn. Bucquoy, 21st August. In this attack the 13th Battalion, 37th Division, took part on 21st August. All objectives were taken rapidly and the Naval Division and cavalry passed through.
23rd to 26th August. On the 23rd the 13th Battalion was again in action and their Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel A. N. Strode Jackson, D.S.O., was wounded. On the 24th they again advanced, but their objective, the village of Favreuil, was not captured until the 26th.
1st Bn Behagnies, 22nd to 24th August. The 2nd Division was also in the Third Army attack, and the 1st Battalion had the task from 22nd to 24th August of protecting the flank of the 5th Brigade attacking Behagnies and Sapignies. In these three days the Battalion had captured one and a half times its own strength in prisoners.
Losses: Officers: wounded 3; other ranks: 63.
13th Bn. Trescault, 11th and 12th September. The 13th Battalion in the 37th Division, Fourth Army, were in action on 11th and 12th September in the capture of Trescault village. Hand-to-hand fighting took place and on the following day the Germans counter-attacked unsuccessfully, leaving many dead. The Battalion was withdrawn on the 16th.
Losses: Officers: killed 2, wounded 6; other ranks: 40.
2nd Bn. Bertaucourt, 18th September. The 1st Division in the Fourth Army took part in the big attack on 18th September. The 2nd Battalion suffered some delay from machine-gun fire, but turned their position and advanced to the farther edge of Bertaucourt village, where they consolidated.
Losses: Officers: killed 2, wounded 3; other ranks: 124.
Fillers Guislain, 23rd September. In the 33rd Division attack our 16th Bn. 16th Battalion met determined resistance in the village. At one point an enemy trench changed hands four times. Here Second-Lieutenant G. S. Hogan twice led his platoon attack. In the first attack he received three wounds, and in the second his foot was blown off. He was taken prisoner and later awarded the D.S.O.
Losses: Officers: wounded 5; other ranks: unrecorded.
Pontruet, 24th September. The 2nd Battalion, again in action, were successful in an attack near Pontruet and held their line against the German attack on the next day. Lieutenant-Colonel E. G. St. Aubyn was wounded.
Losses: Officers: killed 1, wounded 8; other ranks: 85.
Canal Du Nord, 26th/27th September. Big attacks by the Americans and the Fourth French Army took place here on a front of some forty-four miles. The left of our Third Army attacked also on these dates. Our 1st Battalion crossed the canal on the 27th.
Canal de L'Escaut, 28th and 29th September. The crossings of the Canal de L'Escaut were captured on the 28th and 29th. Considerable fighting took place around and in the village of Noyelles. Several prisoners were taken in their pyjamas; a field gun, complete with its officer and team, was taken at Marcoing, in front of the 62nd Division barrage. All objectives were not taken owing to the failure of the next division to co-operate.
Losses: Officers: killed 1, wounded 4; other ranks: 92.
Ossus, 29th/30th September. The 16th Battalion were also facing 16th Bn. the crossing of the Canal de L'Escaut near Ossus. The attack started well, but enemy smoke and gas caused much confusion later, and leading platoons retired, thinking themselves surrounded. Positions north and south of the village were occupied.
Losses: Officers: killed 2, wounded 1; other ranks: 55.
Le Catelet, 2nd to 4th October. In July our 4th Battalion, having returned from Macedonia, joined the 151st Brigade of the 50th Division. After a period of training the Battalion went into the line near Epehy on the Fourth Army front, and were ordered on 2nd October to clear the villages of Le Catelet and Gouy the next day. They succeeded entirely in their object despite bitter fighting. They captured an officer and 252 other ranks and 35 machine guns. On 4th October, in a further attack, they captured 2 officers, 51 other ranks, 25 machine guns and 2 mortars.
Losses not recorded.
Niergnies, 8th October. Both armies continued to attack. On 8th October our 1st Battalion attacked successfully their first and second objectives. Their second objective had to be abandoned owing to the failure of the attack on their flanks. Two enemy tanks were knocked out by concentrated fire, and the crew of another gave themselves up. Two hundred prisoners were taken.
Losses: Officers: wounded 4; other ranks: 94.
4th Bn. Marliches, 8th October. The 4th Battalion again made a successful advance, near Marliches. They captured 2 officers, 111 other ranks, 1 field gun and 49 machine guns.
Losses: Officers: killed 1, wounded 4; other ranks: 52.
The advance of the Second Army had now commenced, gaining ten miles by 30th September, and they made a further big advance on 14th October.
13th Bn. Belaise, 8th October. The 13th Battalion attacked successfully north of Belaise. All objectives were taken and the Battalion captured 300 prisoners.
16th Bn. River Selle, 11th October. The 16th Battalion made a gallant but unsuccessful effort to cross the River Selle and pierce the enemy's lines of the Le Cateau—Solesmes railway. The Battalion gained its objective without a barrage, but was entirely "in the air." The Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel F. L. Pardoe, and Battalion Headquarters had an engagement with the enemy at thirty yards' range and the Commanding Officer was badly hit. The enemy's attempt to cut off the Battalion was, however, frustrated and the Battalion reorganized on the Neuvilly—Le Cateau road.
Losses: Officers: killed 2, wounded 2; other ranks: 119.
Meanwhile, a good deal of work was required on communications, railways and bridges. This was hampered by delayed-action mines and other devices. By 17th October the Third and Fourth Armies were ready to advance again.
2nd Bn. La Vallee Mulatre, 17th October. The 2nd Battalion, starting from the Bois du Busigny, passed through the 6th Division, who were some 800 yards short of their objective. The attack went well until concealed machine-gun nests began to hold it up. Several were successfully dealt with, but the supporting Whippets were knocked out and the Battalion consolidated their gains. In this action the Battalion met again their opponents of Nieuport in July, 1917, and an officer was captured who had fought in that action. One hundred prisoners, 14 field guns, 12 trench mortars and many machine guns were taken.
Losses: Officers: killed 4, wounded 5; other ranks: 173.
4th Bn. River Selle, 17th and 18th October. The 4th Battalion crossed the River Selle on the left of the Americans on the 17th. After a successful advance in thick fog, the Germans counter-attacked on both flanks and the Battalion was ordered to withdraw. On the 18th they assisted the Americans to capture their objectives around Le Quennelle Farm. A number of machine guns, 2 field guns and 110 prisoners were captured.
Losses: Officers: 7; other ranks: 117.
Englefontaine, 24th to 26th October. After preliminary fighting on 24th and 25th October the 16th Battalion took part in the final capture of Englefontaine on 26th October. This operation involved much stalking of machine guns among fruit trees and hedges in very close country. Luckily, few of the enemy fought to a finish.
Losses: Officers: killed 1, wounded 3; other ranks: 99.
Collapse of the German Defence
The breaking of the defences on the River Selle constituted the loss to the enemy of the Siegfried Line, their last prepared defensive system west of the River Rhine.
On 31st October and 1st November further general advances were made in the north; the Germans were driven across the River Scheldt, and Valenciennes was captured on 3rd November. The Americans were pushing forward in the Argonne, and everywhere the great German military machine was cracking.
On 4th November the Fourth, Third and First Armies again advanced from two to five miles. Over 450 German field guns were taken and over 19,000 prisoners were captured.
Catillon, 4th November. The 2nd Battalion took part in a very successful crossing over the Oise—Sambre Canal near Catillon. The infantry placed and used their own bridges. All objectives were carried, and enemy resistance was found to have definitely deteriorated.
Losses: Officers: killed 2, wounded 1; other ranks: 72.
Louvignies, 4th November. On the 4th the 13th Battalion, with the 13th Rifle Brigade, captured Louvignies-les-Quesnoy village and all objectives, in accordance with their time programme. Many German dead were left on the field of battle. As an instance of the type of fighting, an N.C.O. killed three Germans with a small hand-axe in a dug-out. Their captures included 36 machine guns, 3 field guns and 12 trench mortars.
Losses: Officers: wounded 8; other ranks: 98.
St. Remy, 4th November. Both the 4th and 16th Battalions took part in the final stage of the advance. The 50th Division (in which the 4th Battalion served) was just south of the 33rd Division (in which the 16th Battalion served). The 4th Battalion fought success-fully near St. Remy, advancing on 4th November and again on 5th and 7th November. Gentian machine gunners fought well in this close country, and it required skill and initiative to overcome them. Major G. M. Tyron, temporarily in command, was killed.
Losses: Officers: killed 2, wounded 5; other ranks: 173.
River Sambre, 5th to 11th November. On 5th November the 16th Battalion were suddenly ordered to advance owing to information of an intended enemy withdrawal. The village of La Tete Noir was first captured, and positions dominating the river crossings were held. On 6th November, after other units had crossed the river, the Battalion formed a defensive flank facing Leval, where they got touch with the 50th Division.
On 7th November the Battalion concentrated at Petit-Maubeuge ready for further pursuit. Actually they were not required to fight again and at this village they heard of the signing of the Armistice on 11th November.
For the operations described above the battle honours DROCOURT-QUEANT; HINDENBURG LINE; HAVRINCOURT; EPEHY; CANAL DU NORD; ST. QUENTIN CANAL; BEAUREVOIR; COURTRAI; SELLE; and SAMBRE were awarded to the Regiment.
The Armistice - 11th November
Early in November the German High Command decided that the Allied advance could not be stopped and that terms must be asked for. Their armies, though still retiring in good order, had suffered immense losses and had no reserves left. The nation's will to fight on had been sapped. American man power and resources were only beginning to enter the struggle. There was no line west of the Rhine on which to stand, nor any hope that the river line could be held for long.
The Kaiser offered to abdicate and his ministers resigned. A depu tation under a flag of truce arrived at Marshal Foch's headquarters asking for terms of surrender.
The terms offered by the Allied Governments, as advised by Marshal Foch, were accepted. On 11th November the Armistice was signed. Fighting ceased the same day. The German armies withdrew into Germany unmolested. The Allied armies followed and halted beyond the Rhine, the British occupying the Cologne area.
Retrospect
The Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28th June, 1919. This ends the story of the Regiment in the First World War.
Battle Honours
The First World War added seventy-one battle honours to the Regimental list. Seventeen battalions of the Regiment, the four Regular and thirteen Service battalions (including the 20th and 25th Pioneer Battalions), fought on the Western, Italian and Macedonian Fronts; nine battalions, some of which had a short existence, trained drafts at home.
Among innumerable distinctions gained during the war, eight officers and men were awarded the Victoria Cross.
Loses Of The Regiment
Twelve thousand eight hundred and twenty-four officers and men of the Regiment were killed or died during this war. Their names are recorded in the Roll of Honour in Winchester Cathedral, and their heroism is immortalized in John Tweed's statue of a Rifleman near the west door. The wounded numbered over 123,000.
On Empire Day, 24th May, 1922, the memorials in Winchester Cathedral were dedicated and unveiled by Their Royal Highnesses Prince Henry, representing His Majesty The King, and The Princess Christian. The service was conducted by the Bishop and Dean of Winchester and was attended by the four Colonels Commandant and representatives of all battalions, by the Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire, and officers of the County Regiment, and by the Mayor and Corporation of Winchester.
