104
The vrres Times.
9th Lancers, for which Captain Francis
Grenfell, was awarded the Victoria Cross.
That account, naturally, dealt only
with the fine work of the Lancers,
and in consequence may have conveyed
rather an inadequate impression regarding
the part played by the gunners and their
commander, who also received the coveted
decoration for his gallantry on the same
occasion. Perhaps, therefore, I may be
allowed to supplement it by a few words as
to the doings of the Battery on that day
just ten years ago as I write. They afford
a fine example of leadership and of discipline,
as well as of the value of the pre-war training
of the Army. For the Battle of lions, of
which the action of Elouges formed a part,
was fought less than three weeks after the
Declaration of War, and within a fortnight
of the Battery leaving its peace station.
The 5th Division (to which the Battery
belonged) was on the left of the British line,
the flank against which it seemed probable
that any turning movement would be
directed. The heavy guns of the Division
were therefore concentrated on that flank
and a field batten- (the 119th) was kept in
reserve, and was thus ready, when the
anticipated movement developed, to form,
with the Xorfolks and Cheshires, a flank
guard to the Division. This flank guard,
under the Command of Colonel Ballard, of
the Norfolks, moved out through Elouges,
near which village the guns were brought
into action in a covered position between
the railway lines from Quievrain and
Audregnies to lions. They were shelled
pretty heavily from the time they opened
fire, but at first the enemy's practice was
poor, and the casualties were slight. When,
however, the 2nd Cavalry Brigade, which
was also operating on this flank, drew off,
two more German batteries turned upon the
119th, from their right, and this fire, with
that of a machine gun at much closer range,
soon became effective, being probably
directed from a mine-dump which com
pletely overlooked the gun position. Battery
reconnaissance having also established the
fact that the Germans were getting close
up on that flank, the Battery Commander
personally reported the situation to Colonel
Ballard, who replied that he was just issuing
the order to retire, and that the Battery
was to do so.
Meanwhile Battery-Sergeant-Major F.
Smith had sent the spare gunners with their
rifles to hold the railway embankment, on
which he had also got two cavalry machine
guns into action. But the Germans were
showing in force on the mine-dump, and
bullets were falling thick about the guns,
though fortunately the musketry was bad.
Major Alexander saw that any attempt to
bring up the teams would be fatal, and
that the only thing to do was to run the
guns back by hand to the horses, and it was
just then that Captain Grenfell came up
(on foot) with his offer of assistance. Major
Alexander explained what he was about to
do, adding that if Captain Grenfell could
give him any men to help he would be
much obliged. He then walked back to
the guns and started the detachments to
work, and the first gun had just been got
under cover when Captain Grenfell returned
with his officers and men and helped to run
the rest of the guns and limbers back to the
teams, which were under the shelter of the
railway embankment. The distance to be
covered was about 300 yards, and the ground
was very sandy and heavy, so that the timely
assistance of the Lancers was very much
appreciated, especially in view of the fact
that the gunners had been working their
guns for several hours, during which they
had suffered heavy casualties.
"To get the Battery away, even when
safely limbered up, was, however, a ticklish
job, for the railway had to be passed, and
the level-crossing was much exposed. Recog
nising the risk, Major Alexander personally
reconnoitred the ground with the view of
finding another passage. It was well that
he did so, for the level-crossing was soon
blocked by a wagon which was hit by a
shell, while the guns got off with a few
bullets, although they had to pass in full
view and within a couple of hundred yards
of the Huns on the mine-dump, and the pace
was never hurried. When all were clear
Major Alexander himself followed, and
readers of the Ypres Times will, I am sure,
be glad to know that the horse he rode that
day is still alive and well in spite of his
twenty-four years and his war service!"