6th Battalion on the Western Front (1916-1918): Difference between revisions
6th Battalion on the Western Front (1916-1918) (view source)
Revision as of 12:20, 18 May 2020
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It has been argued that the Battle of Messines was the most successful local operation of the war, certainly of the Western Front. Carried out by General Herbert Plumer's Second Army, it was launched on 7 June 1917 with the detonation of 19 underground mines underneath the German mines. The target of the offensive was the Messines Ridge, a natural stronghold southeast of Ypres, and a small German salient since late 1914. The attack was also a precursor to the much larger Third Battle of Ypres, known as Passchendaele, decided upon by the British Commander-in-Chief Sir Douglas Haig following the collapse of the French Nivelle Offensive earlier in May 1917.
General Plumer had begun plans to take the Messines Ridge a year early in early-1916. Meticulous in manner, Plumer preferred to plan for limited successes rather than gamble all on a significant breakthrough. In preparing for the Messines battle he had authorised the laying of 22 mine shafts underneath German lines all along the ridge, his plan being to detonate all 22 at [[zero hour]] at 03:10 on 7 June 1917, to be followed by infantry attacks so as to secure the ridge from the presumably dazed German defenders, the infantry heavily supported by the use of [[artillery]] [[bombardment]]s, tanks and the use of gas. Work on laying the mines began some 18 months before
:{{quote-left}}this tour of duty in the line was most peaceful, the total casualties in the Battalion being 2 [[other ranks]] killed and 4 wounded The moral effect on the men of the wanton destruction of trees and houses roads and wells by the retreating Germans will, it is confidently anticipated, bear fruit in the next operations undertaken by the Battalion. Their feelings have undoubtedly turned to anger, and the local grindstones have been busy: the men entirely on their own initiative have sharpened their [[bayonet]]s.{{quote-right}}
On the 15th the 6th Battalion marched through the area of the old Somme battle-fields to huts at Montauban and on the next day to Fricourt, when a halt of twenty-four hours was called, and then on again by [[Albert]] and Abbeville to a camp at Caestre.
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During May two officers joined for duty [[2nd Lieutenant]]s A. D. F Torrance and R. Pugh. On the night of the 6th June the Battalion marched from the camp where for some days past all ranks had been busily engaged in the practice of the attack upon flagged [[trench]]es, to Westhoutre and thence by a track to the place of assembly which was reached at 2 am on the 7th, and here all lay down to get what sleep they might This was not for long. However, for [[zero hour]] was announced at 3.10 by the simultaneous blowing up of several mines containing 600 tons of explosive and the immediate opening of a tremendous bombardment from a very large number of guns arrayed along an unusually narrow front; under this fire the German front line seemed, with its defenders wholly to crumble and vanish.
While waiting for the opening of the bombardment every man had been provided with an extra water-bottle to carry on him bombs tools flares and [[very lights]] had been issued, and in all this preparatory work R.Q.M.S Farra was of the greatest possible assistance, so that by 6 am the Battalion 23 Officers and 607 [[other ranks]] was completed in every particular and ready for the next move orders for this did not arrive until noon and these were to march to Vierstraat Switch, where by 12.55 all was in readiness for a further advance; the first and second waves were composed of A Company, (OC [[Douglas Farish Ridley|Captain Ridley]] [[w:Military Cross|M.C.]]), on the right, and B Company Lieutenant Gandolfo. On the left; the third and fourth of "D" Company, Captain Williams and "C," [[Ronald Nicholson Carr|Captain Carr]], M.C.
Pushing forward to the Chinese Wall a brief halt was made while the Battalion objective - Van Hove Farm-was pointed out; the advance in artillery formation was then resumed, Wytschaete Ridge was crossed and all went well until the companies had reached the eastern slopes of the ridge where they came under a heavy [[shell|shell fire]] and began to lose men No pause, however, was made though the advance to the Odonto Line was a long and trying one owing to the great heat but it was carried out in perfect order, thanks in large measure to the admirable leading of the [[platoon]] and section commanders.
About 6.30 pm the rear Company, C Company was ordered to halt, and take up a position covering the valley of the Wambeke, but the others continued moving forward towards Polka Estaminet, where the Battalion Headquarters was now established and to the Odonto Line, a company being sent forward under [[John Wemyss Hood|Captain Hood]] with orders to capture and consolidate Van Hove Farm, which was successfully done in face of considerable opposition from [[machine-gun]]s and [[sniping|snipers]], but two very gallant young officers, 2nd Lieutenants Roberts and Farmer were here killed and several [[non-commissioned officer]]s and men were killed and wounded; the enemy was driven off suffering much from our [[rifle]] fire. The capture of the farm was greatly assisted by two Vickers guns of the 33rd Machine Gun Company.
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