174
THE YPRES TIMES
oi strong points, machine-gun emplacements, etc., had all been swept away, and that
the trenches were crammed with dead. By 8.40 a.m. we had captured Casement Trench,
and from there a dense smoke barrage was created with a view to hiding the advance
of the second wave (90th Brigade), their objective being Montauban village. They
went across in perfect formation up to Glatz Redoubtthere they made a short pause,
and then continued the attack and captured the whole village of Montauban by 10 a.m.,
establishing our line on the north side of the village, overlooking Caterpillar Valley.
Between 10 and 12 noon there was a lull in the operations, and then came the cap
ture of the Briquetterie, preceded by half-an-hour's intense bombardment. During
all this time the country was dotted with little parties of prisoners, each with an escort
of two menone Tommy behind to whip up the laggards, while the one in front was
usually surrounded by a crowd of prisoners, all eager to show him the quickest way
back to safety and food in our lines
After the mist lifted, the light for observing was perfect. I had of course my own
glass, and also a 7-foot monster recently arrived from the Lady Roberts' Telescope
Fund, and every detail showed up with the utmost accuracy. There was no enemy shelling,
and gradually people emerged from their tunnels and sat on the top of the shafts till
it felt quite like a "Point to Point" crowd. On the whole we had a very delightful
day, with nothing to do except send numerous reports through to Headquarters and
observe the stupendous spectacle before us. There was nothing to do as regards con
trolling my battery's fire, as the barrage orders had all been prepared beforehand
and any fresh targets were dealt with by one officer, who sat all day in a dug-out by
himself, with map board and battery watch before him. All orders were written on
slips and sent by runners to each gun. Another officer was with the guns, while
the third remained with me ready to go forward if necessary, and also to supervise
the visual signalling arrangements in case our cable was broken.
5.30 a.m., 9th April, 1917Battle of Arras.
I had a front seat in the stalls in fact was nearly on the stage itself for this show,
as my O.P., having been blown in on the previous night, I decided to see it out from
a 6-ft. slit dug at night in No Man's Land, with a treble laddered 'phone line running
back from it. The prospects did not look too healthy, but it was preferable to being
crowded in among the observers of fifty other batteries on the popular railway embank
ment, ever so far back too. I intended to occupy my hole at noon, in full view of
the Fritz, trusting to him being too fussed to worry about me, and so he was.
Z day, which was the 9th, began with heavy rain and hail. For the Northern Division
zero hour was 5.30 a.m. Our own band, however, did not start playing till after
11 a.m. There was Hell let loose all the morning up North by 10 a.m. we heard that
Telegraph Hill was captured, and that our Tanks were careering onwards like rabbits.
Just before eleven I went forward with my telephonist, and advancing across the open
in full view of the enemy dropped quickly into our slit, and we awaited the first act
of the drama.
About noon the 56th Division streamed across the ridge on our left, the left half
of the attack getting through the wire, but the right eventually had to come back and
line a sunken road some four hundred yards from the Hindenburg wire. Our counter-
battery work was most vigorous, and the enemy only put up a very slight barrage,
although our infantry must have presented a perfect target during their long advance
across the open. About 2 p.m. the Brigades of the 30th Division commenced their
attack, advancing down the slope and passing right over the holes in which we were
standing. They were naturally surprised to see us there, and much chaff was in the
air about our having secured front seats tor the show. They had a long advance in
full view the whole time, and did not launch the actual attack on the Hindenburg Line
till 3.30 p.m. Previous to their final attack they had had very few casualties, which
shows how nonplussed the enemy was for the moment.
