Supplement to the London Gazette, 21 October, 1918. 1
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SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 21 OCTOBER, 1918. 1-2433 river and canal bridges, for reforming west of Ham none of ithe enemy succeeded in crossing the river the divisions which had suffered most the river before nightfall. in the previous fighting, and generally for securing the adequate defence of the river line. The Northern Front Firm. (27) Meanwhile, very (heavy fighting had The Crozat Canal Crossed. been taking place on the northern portion of (25) Meanwhile, the enemy had recom- the battle front. The enemy pressed closely menced his attacks. The footing obtained by upon our troops, as they withdrew to the line him on the west bank of the Crozat Canal was of the ridge running from north of Peronne to gradually increased, in spite of counter-attacks Nurlu and Equancourt. Heavy attacks by British and French troops at Tergnier and developed at an early hour 'between these two at other points. During the morning, he forced places, and also between Le Bucquiere and the passage of the canal at Jussy, where he was Beugny, and at Mory. reported to have employed tanks east of the On the Tfiird Army front, where our canal. Shortly afterwards hostile infantry resources were greater, the enemy was held in crossed at Mennessis, though suffering great check, though he gained possession of Le loss from the fire of a machine-gun detachment Bucquiere and Beugny after a prolonged of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade. By midday struggle. In this fighting the 9th Bn. Welsh our troops had been pressed back from the line Regiment, 19th Division, greatly distinguished of the canal to the wooded ground to the west, itself in the defence of Beugny, which it held where fierce confused fighting continued till dusk, thereby enabling the other batJtalions throughout the afternoon about Noureuil, Fail- of its -brigade in position to the north of the louel and Cugny, infantry and cavalry offering village to extricate (themselves successfully from a most resolute resistance to the enemy's ad- what would otherwise have been a hopeless vance and performing many gallant actions. situation. No less than six separate attacks, in two of which the enemy brought up cavalry and guns, The Crossing at Ham. were repulsed 'by the 124th Brigade of the 41st (26) In the course of the withdrawal to the Division, Major-General Sir S. T. B. Lawford, Somme on the previous night, a gap occurred K.C.B., commanding the division, opposite in our line in the neighbourhood of Ham, and Vaulx Vraucourt. The fighting in this sector the enemy, following closely upon our troops, of the front was very severe, but here and at all entered the town during the early morning. points north of the Baupaume-Oambrai Road Before midday bodies of German infantry, our line was maintained. About 3.30 p.m. the though at first only in small numbers, suc- enemy again attacked five times from the direc- ceeded in crossing the river about Ham and tion of Vaulx and five times from Beaumetz- Pithon, where the bridges had not been com- lez-Cambrai, and on each occasion was repulsed. pletely destroyed. In the afternoon these The 40th Division, under command of Major- forces increased in strength, gradually pressing General J. Ponsonby, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., re- back our troops, until a spirited counter-attack gained Mory during the afternoon by success- by troops of the 20th and 61st Divisions about ful counter-attacks, and the 31st Division, Verlaines restored the situation in this locality. under command of Major-General R. J. Bridg- To the east of this point, heavy fighting took ford, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., drove off the attacks place around Ollezy which the 36th Division, of two German divisions about St. Leger with under command of Major-General O. S. W. heavy loss. Nugent, C.B., D.S.O., regained and held until a late hour, and around Aubigny and Brouchy, The Retreat to the Tortille. both of which villages, however, fell into the (28) At the junction of the Third and Fifth enemy's hands before night. Armies the situation was less satisfactory, and Farther north, the withdrawal to the west as the day wore on it became critical. bank of the Somme was carried out success- During the morning, the divisions of the V. fully during the morning and early afternoon, Corps had proceeded with their withdrawal, effectively covered by troops of the 50th Divi- and, covered by rearguards who were heavily sion. By 3.15 p.m. all troops were across the engaged, had fallen back from the Metz-en- river, and the bridges for the most part Couture salient to the defences of the third destroyed. zone about Ytres. The left of the VII. Corps, All bridges over the canals and rivers in the however, had been withdrawn under orders Fifth Army area had been carefully listed during the morning from the Nurlu positions early in February and reconnoitred for demoli- to the line of tihe Canal du Nord, north of tion. The necessary explosives were stored in Moislains. As the result of this movement, a the neighbourhood of each bridge, and a gap was formed between the flank divisions of definite party of Royal Engineers detailed for the two corps, and this gap the enemy rapidly its destruction. As has been seen, however, exploited. Though vigorous efforts were made owing to the effects of the enemy's artillery to re-establish touch both by the 47th Division, fire, which blew up some of the charges and cut under command of Major-General Sir G. F. the leads of others, the destruction of the Gorringe, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., D.S.O., and by a bridges was in certain cases incomplete. 'brigade of the 2nd -Division, Major-General None the less, the situation on the Somme C. E. Pereira, C.B., C.M.G, commanding the front north of Ham was for the tdme being division, they were unsuccessful. The right of not unsatisfactory. In the course of the after- the V. Corps was forced back bv pressure from noon, strong attacks at -Offoy and Be then court the south-east first to the neighbourhood of were repulsed with heavy loss by rifle and Four Winds Farm, south of Ytres, where machine-gun fire. In the evening, the enemv's troops of the 47th Division made a gallant stand attempts to come down ithe open slopes on the in the open until nightfall, and later to a east bank of the river were heavily punished position East of Rocquigny. by artillery fire, as they were on several subse- The divisions of the VII. Corps, after heavy quent occasions. It is believed that north of fighting during the afternoon, were forced back.