CHAPTER XVI SECOND VILLERS-BRETONNEUX-( I) THE GERMANS SEIZE THE VILLAGE THE night of April 23rd at Australian Corps Headquarters north of the Somme, at Montigny, was resonant with gun-fire. After three fine, cold days, the clouds fleeting across an almost full moon looked threatening with rain. The bombardment was mainly from the artillery of the V Corps, covering an unsuccessful attempt by the 35th and 38th Divisions north- west of Albert to regain the line of the Ancre. Towards morning a mist came on, growing denser as dawn approached, and at 4.45 (as foretold by prisoners) there descended on the British front south of the Sornnie, between Villers-Bretotineux and Hangard, intense artillery-fire, including gas-shells of all kinds but especially mustard. The shelling extended along the French front as far as the Bois de Senecat, six miles south-west of Hangard. The 8th British Division’s sector in front of Villers- Bretonneus was then held (from north to south) by the 25th Brigade north of the Roman road, with the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade in the front line and the 2nd Royal Berkshire in support: and by the 23rd Brigade south of the Roman road. with the 2nd Middlesex between the road and railway, the 2nd West Yorkshire from the railway to cross-ways south of the Monu- ment, and the 2nd Devonshire as counter- attack battalion in the Cacliy Switch and the gully south of the town. The garrison of Villers-Bretontieux was the 2nd East Lancashire, of the 538 Apr., 19181 SECOND VILLERS-BRETONNEUX 539 northern (25th) brigade. The 24th Brigade, in reserve, had the greater part of two battalions in the Aubigny (or Gentelles) line running through the Bois l’Abh6, and a third, together with the divisional pioneers (the 2znd Durham Light Infantry), back near Blangy-Tronville. Between Monument Wood and Hangard-the sector of the 58th (Lonc!on) Division-the front line was held by the three battalions of the 173rd Brigade, with the 174th in support. Of the latter, one battalion, the 2/10th London, was attached to the forward brigade for purposes of counter-attack. The 175th Brigadz was in reserve. In order to give its units as much rest as possible the I11 Corps was disposed in small bodies in great depth. The 18th (Eastern) Division had been withdrawn after the fighting of April 4th, the intention being to rest it and train its new draft; but several of its battalions had been used for counter-attacks at Hangard, and, though most of it was now behind the Avre, a detachment, known as “ Shepherd’s Force,”l together with a brigade of its artillery, had to be maintained in front of Cachy as a special protection for that village. The 8th was a particularly good British division-at this time when extra Lewis guns were issued to the best trained divisions, the 8th was one of three British divisions, exclusive of doniinion ones, chosen to receive the first allotment. But it had lost 250 officers and 4,693 of other ranks-half its infantry-in the March offensive ; since Ludendorff’s stroke. Lloyd George had been pouring into France the reinforcements which during the winter he had withheld. The allocation of man-power to the army having kept so low, it was now necessary to reduce the age at which boys were drafted to France. Sir \Villiani Robertson states that 140,000 reinforcements- were then hurriedly scraped together and sent out, the number including, contrary to the undertaking given in Parliament on January 11, many youths under nineteen years of age.2 ’ Commanded by Major S. F Le F. Shepherd, 6th En, Northamptonshire Regt. *Sir Henry \\‘ilson noted (Vol. II. p. 81) that “from March 21 to March zg we have lost 114,000 infantry. \Ve . will have sent out by April 4 IOI.OOO.They had some 20,ooo out there, but we have sent all boys of 184 who are trained ” 540 THE A1.F. IN FRANCE [Apr., 1918 These boys were now appearing. One of the Australians who saw then1 writes in his diary: For two days companies of infantry have been passing us on the roads-cunipatiies of children, English children ; pink faced, rouiid clieeked childrci~,flushed under the weight of their unaccustomed packs, w~ththeir steel helmets oii the back of their heads and the strap hanging loosely on their rounded baby chins. Beside these words in the diary is the sketch here shown. The 2nd West Yorks, holding the iront south of the railway, had received 11 officers and 700 of other ranks as reinforcements, and the 2nd Middlesex, between the railway and the Roman road, almost as many. The history of the 18th Division says that the 7th Queen’s-the battalion which went forward with the right of the 36th in First Villers- Eretonneux-now consisted, to the extent of GO per cent, of lads under nineteen, who till a week before had never fired ;I shot. Rawlinson realised that he was making too harsh a demand of these i)oys in thrusting them into battle on the Western Front without even a few weeks of hardening in less tempestuous areas ; but Foch’s insistence upon the tenure by the British Army of this sector between the Sonime and the Luce, and Haig’s determination to maintain reserves near Arras, had made it necessary. This morning Amiens and villages near the Amiens front were being bombarded; shells were bursting on the roads, the woods, and the known and probable battery positions. .411 troops under this fire, and almost all within sight or hearing, guessed that it was the prelude to the expected attack. At 4 o’clock Major-General Heneker3 of the 8th Division ordered his reserve brigade (24th) and pioneers (22nd Durham Light Infantry) to man the reserve trench system. Major-General Cator of the 5Sth Division ordered his reserve brigade--17~th--across the Avre to Gentelles. But to no commander was the bombardment a challenge for such vigorous activity as to Elliott of the 15th Brigade, now ‘General Sir \V. C. G. Heneker, K.CB, K.ChI.G., D.S.O. Commanded 54th Inf. Rde.. 19~5;190th Inf. Rate.. 1916: 8th niv. 1qr6/19. GOC.. Southern Command, India. 1928/32 B zz Aug. 1867 Died ZJ &fay, 1939 Apr., 19181 SECOND VILLERS-BRETONNEUX 54 1 in reserve to its division. During most of the previous fort- night, while the sister brigade-the 14th-was responsible for the northern front of Villers-Bretonneux, Elliott had, by arrangement with the divisional commander, kept a battalion in part of the Aubigny line in the Bois I’AbbB, a mile in rear of the town, with orders to be continuously prepared to recapture Villers-Bretonneux if lost. He had made his staff and battalion commanders study the ground, models of which had been constructed at his order, and he had laid down a plan for the operation. When, on April 20th, the 8th Division took over the southern part of his area, only one platoon arrived to relieve the battalion kept for counter-attack. Its commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Scanlan, accordingly refused to accept relief ; but upon Elliott’s making repre- sentations through his divisional commander, General Hobbs.‘ the reply came from 111 Corps that General Butler had authorised altered arrangements for the three-batta!ion brigades of the 8th Division. The relief was at once completed, but Elliott, now more firmly convinced than ever that the town, if attacked, would be lost, kept one of his battalions, the 59th, in constant readiness to counter-attack. He also persuaded General Hobbs to order the 5th Pioneers to dig back from the Aubigny line on his right flank a long trench, ostensibly for communication, but actually as a switch, for the defence of the flank if the enemy broke through.a On first sign OF attack, the 59th and 60th Battalions, which would be first on his roster for counter-attack duties, were to send patrols towards Villers-Bretonneux to ascertain whether the British still held it. Accordingly now, before dawn, as soon as the bombard- ment fell, the whole 15th Brigade stood-to-arms. Elliott ordered the 59th and 60th to send out their patrols, and at 4.50 issued a provisional order containing his plan of counter- attack. This, if required, would be made by the 59th and 60th north of Villers-Bretonneux, up the parallel two spurs leading ‘The headquarters of General Hohbs were at the ch6tcou at Bussy-les-Daours. 34 miles west of Corbie. Those of Elliott were at Blangy-Tronville. ‘General Hobbs later decided to have a similar switch dug from his front line on Hill 104. His C.R.E., Lieut.-Colonel L. F. S. mther, surveyed it on April 23 and the digging was begun the same day. It was afterwards called “Pioneer Trench.’’ 38 542 THE A.I.F. IN FRANCE [24th Apr., 1918 to the town and to Hill roq respectively. On reaching a road near the top, tlie line would pivot on its right until it faced nearly south-east, and would then descend obliquely, ignoring tlie town on its right and making towards the Roman road. The right conipanies would next swing round to confront Villers-Bretonneux, and face south-west, and would help towards “ pocketing ” the Enemy as shown in the marginal sketch. The 5/”th would be ready to support the attack, its probable rde being to ,x. swing round the southern side of the town and cut ’ off the enemy in it, or at least squeeze him out.