- i r\ O Allies
\Chemm aes CepnyQ 7a Bovelle Fm.
A
O Bpaye
Moussy O o
Chivy O
O Vendpesse OPaissy
Beaulne q q
Mouline Vassogne
Vepneuil
O Soupip
THE YPRES TIMES
79
to escape being killed. However, fresh troops from the reserves were available to counter
attack and the German advance was brought to a standstill before they could penetrate
too deeply into our position. The danger of being surrounded was for the moment averted,
but the fact remained that we were now too far forward and must go back.
I received orders from my Company Commander to withdraw, and, waiting for a
lull in the firing, dashed back to a new alignment. Our move was the signal for a fresh
outbreak of firing on the part of the Germans, and we doubled back under a perfect tornado
of shell and bullets. By a miracle I was not hit, but only ten men in the platoon survived
to find shelter in a nullah which we fortunately happened to stumble into. As it appeared
impossible to move either backwards or forwards under the hail of bullets, I decided to
remain where I was for the present, and did my best to assist in the retirement of the other
troops who were all coming back.
Extract from Military Operations
France and Belgium, 1914." Volume 1
The Germans made no attempt to follow the retiring troops and were quite content
with their gains. After a time a further withdrawal was carried out to a sunken track just
in front of the main Vendresse-Cerny road and here we dug ourselves into the bank and
prepared to hold on to the last man.
However, the Huns had suffered untold losses and were far too exhausted to make
any further efforts except artillery fire, and this became gradually more spasmodic until
the rapidly approaching darkness put an end to the struggle.
It had been a nightmare of a day, and our losses had been awful. In my platoon
six men answered the roll call out of a fifty-six who had started the day. The other units
in the 1st and 2nd Brigades had suffered equally heavily, but the 3rd Brigade, who were
in reserve most of the day, had come off comparatively lightly.