164
THE YPRES TIMES
where very bloody fighting took place. We were under continuous heavy shell-fire
and had some very close shaves. About 6 a.m. it commenced to rain in torrents, and
this added to our discomfort, as we were soon soaked through. The enemy were shelling
unmercifully now, and in Blangy and St. Sauveur, suburbs on our left, houses were going
up about three a minute. About 6.45 it ceased raining and at seven the Royal Welch
and othersthe second contingentformed up and, with a cheer from us, set off into
the mist, which was still fairly thick.
At 7.25 we climbed out, stretched our legs and formed up on top, moving off at
7.30. We had to go due east over trench after trench for about a mile or more and
take the Harp," a network of defences shaped like an Irish harp. It was most difficult
to keep touch, the ground was sodden, and we were laden as usual.
We soon passed the first dead, and many wounded were about. Large batches of
prisoners were being propelled towards Arras, and it still further increased our morale.
Tanks were waddling about everywhere. Fully twenty were to be seen, and very
ludicrous they looked.
We pushed through barrage after barrage and made for the cross-roads near the
Harp," where there was a large shell crater. Much wire had to be negotiated, but
we were quite happy as we were moving on a down grade and could take in all that was
going on. We duly crossed the front trench of the Harp," held by the Royal Fusiliers,
and with Go it the Suffolks in our ears we pushed on to our final objective.
It was now about 8.30, and we were getting very tired, the going and the wire having
been shocking. In due course, after many excitements and with great difficulty, a
little band of us, including about half my bombing section, my sergeant, servant and
myself, were the first in Neuilly Trench, our objective. We had to dislodge some hardy
snipers, my sergeant and servant using their rifles and I my revolver, and then bombed
all the dugouts, eventually clearing over 200 yards and capturing all their Easter mail
in one of the dugouts, before some reinforcements came up to join us.
We had taken about one and a quarter hours to do 2,500 yards, and were more than
excited at our success. Later on we were badly sniped from some tall trees east of
Tilloy, which was not yet quite clear on our left flank, and we also had quite a bit of
shelling still to endure, as, naturally, they had their own trenches well ranged. The
company on our right was missing altogether, so we had to extend and take on their
section of trench, too. I went round and cut numerous wires running along the trench,
to prevent any F.O.O., who might still be about, from signalling.
The morning was beautifully fine, and about noon the 8th Brigade leap-frogged
us and went on to the Brown Line at Feuchy, the enemy's last consecutive line for
miles, but Fate was not with us on that venture, and the Brown Line held us up for
twenty-four valuable hours, during which reinforcements came up from Douai.
Our total gain of territory was about five miles on a large front, with the Canadian
■success at Vimy as the outstanding event. Our casualties had been comparatively
light, and we were very cheery. That night, after relief, a biting snowstorm caught
Us and, after a day of miserable discomfort on the Tuesday, we had to go forward through
ruined Tilloy about 3 a.m., and at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, with absolutely no preparation,
and without having slept for three nights, we attacked over open ground in extended
order the village of Guemappe, and were mown down by machine guns in enfilade. Just
prior to this attack, we had formed up behind hundreds of cavalry horses, tethered in
the open in a fold in the ground. I shall never forget that morning breaking, and the
enemy, suddenly realizing this target, and dropping 5-95 among all those poor horses
and incidentally ourselves. It proved the uselessness of cavalry in modern war, and
was the only occasion on which we had experienced their presence.
During the succeeding weeks, further attacks ensued, but things slowly settled down
again on the new ScarpeMonchy front for the summer.
