The Advance of the 64th Infantry Brigade
down the Valley of the River An ere in
August, 1918.
The Ypres Times.
191
Consequent upon the successful attacks of the 4th Army in front of Amiens on the
8th August, 1918, and the succeeding days, the Germans held an awkward salient in our
lines on the Third Army front, consisting principally of the Thiepval Ridge. It was gener
ally expected that the enemy would withdraw on this front, and on the 14th August, the
withdrawal commenced on the front of the 42nd Division, near Serre, and on the front
of the 21st Division, opposite the 64th Infantry Brigade, whose patrols reached the
forward slopes of the Beaumont Hamel heights, east of Station Road, on that day, an
advance of a thousand yards, without opposition. On the 15th August, contact with the
enemy rearguards was regained on these heights, but the position was maintained. This
Brigade was withdrawn from the line for a few days' rest, but on the morning of the
21st of August it took Beaucourt as its share in the Third Army attack and in this fight
the 64th Light Trench Mortar Battery played a conspicuous part. By that evening the
line was advanced to the reverse slopes of the high ground on the east side of the
re-entrant running half-way between Beaucourt and Baillescourt Farm. The 1st East
Yorks were holding these slopes, and during the evening the 1st Lincolns (62nd Inf. Bde.)
passed through this line and formed an outpost line in advance of it and in touch with
the 42nd Division on the left. About midnight the 1st East Yorks advanced at right angles
to the Lincolns and formed a line joining the right flank of the Lincolns to the river banks
at a point opposite the re-entrant mentioned. The 15th Durham Light Infantry held
the river line along the railway side from this point to the station of Beaumont Hamel,
where they joined the noth (Leicester) Brigade of our division. The latter brigade had
advanced to the edge of the marshes opposite St. Pierre Divion. To the south and
adjoining our division was the 38th (Welsh) Division. Before further progress could be
made by the 4th Army astride the River Somrne, or by the 4th Corps on Miraumont, it
was imperative that the Thiepval Ridge should be taken.
Along the whole front of the Fifth Corps, on which the 21st Division (under Major-
General D. G. M. Campbell, C.B.)* was disposed, ran the River Ancre, whose main stream
was about six feet deep and was indistinguishable in the marshes and morass which the
Germans had deliberately flooded, and in places the marshes were three hundred yards
wide. They were obstructed with tangled trees and reeds, and before any advance could
be made this formidable obstacle had to be crossed. As the northern bank was under
enemy fire the reader may visualise the difficulties in front of the Corps, and particularly
our own Brigade.
All day, on the 22nd August, attempts were made by patrols of the 1st E. Yorks and
the 15th D.L.I, to cross the marshes and reconnoitre the country on the south side of the river.
They found the enemy were not holding a position nearer than the GrandcourtSt.
Pierre Divion road. These patrols tried to establish bridge-head positions over the river,
but they were unable to hold them owing to casualties. In the evening the R.E. Section,
attached to the Brigade, fixed three foot bridges opposite Beaucourt, where the marshes
and trees nearly stretched across the river, and afterwards carefully camouflaged them.
About midnight the enemy counter-attacked the 1st Lincolns, and drove them back
temporarily as far as the re-entrant behind them. This embarrassed the position of the
1st E. Yorks, who were withdrawn to old trenches north of Beaucourt, and the 62nd
Now Lieut-Gen. Sir David G. M. Campbell, K.C.B., G.O.C. 111 C. Aldershot Command.
