The Grenadier Guards In The Great War Of 1914-1918 - free ebook by Frederick Ponsonby

THE GRENADIER GUARDS IN THE GREAT WAR OF 1914-1918

The King. Colonel-in-Chief....

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INTRODUCTION

I regard it as a high privilege to be associated with this book, which has been written by an old officer of the Regiment. I can fully appreciate the magnitude of the task which confronted him when he undertook to examine innumerable documents relating to hundreds of thousands of men and covering a period of several years, and select therefrom all that particularly concerned the Regiment. I often think that an officer who finds himself in command of a battalion of Grenadiers on active service mu

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PREFACE

This account of the part taken by the Grenadier Guards in the European War is, substantially, the work of the officers of the Regiment themselves. Letters and diaries full of interesting detail have been sent to me, and a vast amount of information collected by Colonel Sir H. Streatfeild at the Regimental Orderly Room has been placed at my disposal. The military historian who writes of past centuries has in some ways an easier task than one who attempts to put contemporary events into their hist

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MAPS

Route of the Second Battalion, 1914, and the Mons Area, 1914 16 Route taken by the Second Battalion Grenadier Guards during the Retreat from Mons, and subsequent advance to the Marne and the Aisne, 1914 24 Sketch plan of Landrecies, August 25, 1914 28 Engagement at Villers-Cotterêts, September 1, 1914 34 Battle of the Marne—Position of the British Army on September 8, 1914 46 The Passage of the Aisne, September 14, 1914 58 Ypres and the neighbouring country where the First Battle of Ypres was fo

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CHAPTER I THE SITUATION BEFORE THE WAR

When the Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated at Sarajevo in Serbia on June 28, 1914, it never for a moment occurred to any one in this country that the crime could in any way affect the destinies of the First or Grenadier Regiment of Footguards. No one dreamed that, before another year had passed, not only would the three Battalions be fighting in a European war, but there would even be a 4th Battalion at the front, in addition to a 5th Reserve Battalion of almost unwieldy pro

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CHAPTER II ARRIVAL OF THE 2ND BATTALION IN FRANCE

To any neutral not completely blinded by German sympathies it must have been only too palpable that the last thing we were prepared for was a European war, for not only had we no men to speak of, but there appeared to be no competent organisation for dealing with a levée en masse . Relying on the warlike instinct of our race, we had clung tenaciously to the voluntary system, under the impression that it was best suited to our needs. Even if conscription had been politically possible, it was out

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CHAPTER III THE RETREAT FROM MONS (2ND BATTALION)

Thus began that historic, terrible, splendid retreat from Mons. Long weary marches were to be the lot of the British Army for many a day, but fortunately no one realised what lay ahead, or the stoutest hearts might well have quailed. Long before it was over, the men's boots—not Crimean ones of brown paper, but good, sound English leather—had been worn into shreds by those interminable, pitiless paving-stones, that had withstood centuries of traffic. Even the men with the toughest skins suffered

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CHAPTER IV THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE (2ND BATTALION)

The German General Staff at this juncture realised that a retreating army is not necessarily a beaten one. For the last ten days, with their maps spread before them, they had had the satisfaction of moving the pins and flags representing their forces continually and rapidly nearer and nearer Paris. But if the French Army—the British Army, they thought, could be safely ignored—were to succeed in escaping south, it would remain a constant menace. It might even interfere with the Emperor's spectacu

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CHAPTER V THE PASSAGE OF THE AISNE (2ND BATTALION)

For a week now the Germans had been steadily retiring, and there was no apparent reason why they should stop doing so. Each time they held a position the question naturally arose whether they were really making a determined stand, or whether this was just a case of a rear-guard doing its best to hold up the advance. The only way to find out was to attack them and make them show their dispositions. At the Marne, where it might well have been supposed that the Germans had a good enough position to

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CHAPTER VI THE FIRST BATTLE OF YPRES (1ST BATTALION)

Meanwhile the 1st Battalion Grenadiers remained at Warley until September 1914. In the middle of the month the Seventh Division was formed, and the 1st Battalion Grenadiers was sent to Lyndhurst, near Southampton, where the Division was assembling, and placed in the 20th Brigade. Major-General T. Capper, C.B. , D.S.O. , commanded the Division, which was composed as follows: Brigadier-General H. G. Ruggles-Brise, who commanded the Brigade in which the 1st Battalion served, was himself an old Gren

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CHAPTER VII THE FIRST BATTLE OF YPRES (2ND BATTALION)

The Grenadier Guards at Ypres. Having completed its detrainment, the First Corps, under Sir Douglas Haig, was concentrated between St. Omer and Hazebrouck. Sir John French had now to make up his mind whether he would use it to strengthen his line, which was much longer than his numbers warranted, or send it to the north of Ypres. He decided that the greatest danger was that the Germans might carry out a wide turning movement on his left flank, and he sent the Corps north of Ypres accordingly. Th

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Diary of the War

In November 1914 the war of stagnation had already begun. The power of modern weapons in defence had made open warfare an impossibility, and the struggle in France had now assumed the character of siege warfare. Lines of trench some five hundred miles in length stretched from the Belgian coast to the Swiss frontier, and high explosive in every form and shape was fired from monster guns or thrown by hand. Miles of barbed wire covered the ground between the opposing lines of trenches, and sappers

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The 1st Battalion

On the 14th the 20th Brigade marched through Bailleul, Steenwerck, Sailly, Bac- St. -Maur to the trenches in the neighbourhood of Fleurbaix, where it relieved the 19th Brigade. The Grenadiers were on the right, the Scots Guards in the centre, and the Border Regiment on the left. Brigadier-General F. J. Heyworth, D.S.O. , arrived from England, to take over the command of the Brigade. Throughout November the Brigade remained in the same line of trenches. At first there was a great deal of rain, bu

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CHAPTER IX NOVEMBER 1914 TO MAY 1915 (2ND BATTALION)

The Battalion remained in billets at Meteren from November 22 till December 22. The casualties among the officers had been severe, and there only remained Lieut. -Colonel Smith, Major Jeffreys, Captain Ridley, Captain Cavendish, Lieutenant Hughes, Lieutenant and Adjutant the Hon. W. Bailey, Lieutenant Beaumont-Nesbitt, Lieutenant Marshall, Second Lieutenant Cunninghame (Transport Officer), Second Lieutenant Gerard, Lieutenant and Quartermaster Skidmore, and Captain Howell, R.A.M.C. (attached). T

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CHAPTER X THE BATTLE OF NEUVE CHAPELLE (1ST BATTALION)

For a long time the question had been discussed whether it was humanly possible to break through a line of trenches. Owing to the great defensive power of modern weapons, the thickness of the barbed-wire obstacles, and the dangers the attacking force would have to run in leaving their trenches and crossing the open, it was generally believed that no attack could possibly succeed. Further, in spite of repeated attempts, the Germans had failed time after time to break through our line. But there w

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The 1st Battalion

In May the French resolved to make a determined attack on the German line in Artois, and in order to prevent the enemy moving up any reinforcements to support that part of the line, Sir John French agreed to attack simultaneously at Festubert, where the German Seventh Corps was posted. Sir Douglas Haig, who was entrusted with the task, began operations on May 9, when the Eighth Division captured some of the enemy's first-line trenches at Rougebanc, while the First and Indian Divisions attacked s

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The 2nd Battalion.

The following is the list of officers of the 2nd Battalion at the battle of Festubert: The 4th Brigade did not take part in the first phase of the battle, and on the 16th it was moved up to the old line of breastworks at Rue du Bois, to support the 6th Brigade. The 2nd Battalion Grenadiers and Irish Guards were placed immediately behind the 6th Brigade, while the two battalions of Coldstream remained still farther back. The attack of the 5th and 6th Brigades was successful, and the first German

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Diary of the War

At the end of April, Hill 60 near Ypres was taken by the Second Corps under Lieut. -General Sir Charles Fergusson, and was lost again early in May when the enemy used gas. The second battle of Ypres began on May 10, and will always be notorious for the treacherous use of poisonous gas by the Germans. The British Army was totally unprepared for this treachery, and had no gas helmets of any kind, yet such was the tenacious courage displayed by it that the Germans were unable to do more than drive

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The 1st Battalion

For the remainder of May the Battalion remained in billets at Robecq. On the 22nd a draft of sixty men arrived, and on the 29th Second Lieutenant Viscount Lascelles, and on the 30th Second Lieutenant F. E. H. Paget joined the Battalion. On the 23rd , after Divine Service, Major-General Gough, commanding the Seventh Division, after going round the billets made a short speech to each Company, and afterwards talked to a large number of men, which greatly pleased them. On the 27th the Division was i

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CHAPTER XIII MAY TO SEPTEMBER 1915 (2ND BATTALION)

During the remainder of May the Battalion remained in billets at La Pugnoy and later at Vendin. On the 24th it was inspected by General Horne, and turned out looking very smart. At the conclusion of the inspection the General addressed it, and said that he wished to convey to it the hearty thanks of the Corps Commander, Lieut. -General Sir C. Monro, as well as his own, for all the good work done by the Battalion during the past five months. Whether it was in billets, where its discipline, good b

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Arrival of the 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards

The 3rd Battalion Grenadiers was the only regular battalion at home. For months it had fretted at being left behind when all the other battalions had left, for they had a history second to none in the British Army, and had taken part in all the great campaigns during the last two hundred years. Whether it was part of that mysterious thing called the British Constitution, or whether the idea of keeping one regular battalion in London emanated from the brain of some timid member of the Cabinet, is

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Arrival of the 4th Battalion.

It was in July that the King on the advice of the military authorities decided to form another Battalion of Grenadier Guards, since the Reserve Battalion had swollen to enormous proportions, in spite of the standard of height being raised. Colonel H. Streatfeild received instructions to this effect, and at once summoned a conference of the commanding officers and adjutants of the two Battalions of the Regiment in London (the 3rd and Reserve Battalions). The part of Chelsea Barracks occupied by t

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The Guards Division

The Guards Division arrived early on Sunday morning at Haillicourt, more than ten miles off, and marched through Noeux-les-Mines and Sailly-la-Bourse to Vermelles. For the first time since its creation the Guards Division was to go into action, and naturally, after the fame individual battalions had won in the earlier part of the war, a great deal was expected of it. All the troops were cheered by the news that the Division had arrived and was going in, but the situation had altered a good deal

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The 2nd Battalion

The following were the officers of the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards who took part in the battle: The 1st Guards Brigade, under Brigadier-General Feilding, reached Vermelles early on the Sunday morning, and at 1 P.M. on the same day it was ordered forward to the old British trenches near Le Rutoire, where the two Coldstream battalions were placed in the firing line, and the 2nd Battalion Grenadiers and 1st Battalion Irish Guards in support. The orders General Feilding received from Major-Genera

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The 3rd Battalion

The 2nd Guards Brigade reached Vermelles about 7 P.M. on Saturday, September 25, having marched via Ligny-les-Aire, Burbure, and Houchin. The officers of the 3rd Battalion Grenadiers were: It was bitterly cold on the night of the 25th , which was spent by the 3rd Battalion Grenadiers in the old British front trench north-west of Loos. Some of the platoons got into an old remnant of a trench, and some had to lie down outside. So chilly was it that sleep was difficult, and the men had constantly t

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The 4th Battalion.

The 3rd Guards Brigade, under Brigadier-General Heyworth, marched via Lambres, Lières, and Marles-les-Mines to Haillicourt, where it arrived on Sunday morning the 26th . At Marles-les-Mines it had to halt for six hours to allow a cavalry corps to pass, and as the men never knew when their turn would come to advance, they had to sit down on a muddy road and wait. The battalions were crowded into billets for a short time at Haillicourt, where the violent bombardment of the French attack at Souchez

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The 1st Battalion

The officers of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards at this time were: The 1st Battalion reached Vermelles on the Sunday with the rest of the 3rd Guards Brigade. On Monday it advanced towards Loos, and was placed in reserve, which meant being heavily shelled, without taking any active part in the fighting. It received orders to occupy the old German second-line trench on the outskirts of Loos, and Lieut. -Colonel G. Trotter left it there under Major de Crespigny while he went forward to Brigade H

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Diary of the War

The marshy condition of the ground and the bad weather made operations on any large scale impossible, and, with the exception of raids in various parts of the line, no serious offensive movement was attempted. In December Field-Marshal Sir John French resigned command of the British Army in France, and took over command of the Forces in the United Kingdom. He was succeeded by General Sir Douglas Haig. In October the Bulgarians, under the impression that the Central Powers were winning the war, d

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The 1st Battalion. Roll of Officers.

During October the 1st Battalion remained either in or just behind the trenches until the 26th . The casualties in the other battalions necessitated a certain redistribution of the officers, and Captain R. Wolrige-Gordon, who had returned from sick leave, was transferred to the 3rd Battalion, while Captain Greville and Second Lieutenant F. G. Bonham-Carter went to the 4th Battalion. On October 3 the 1st Battalion relieved the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in the trenches, and ca

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The 2nd Battalion.

In the redistribution of officers after the battle of Loos, Lieutenant F. O. S. Sitwell and Second Lieutenant I. H. Ingleby were transferred to the 4th Battalion, and Second Lieutenant E. R. M. Fryer and Lieutenant L. St. L. Hermon-Hodge to the 3rd Battalion. On the 3rd the 2nd Battalion returned to the trenches, and took over the section of old British trenches east of Vermelles, where it remained in support of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions Coldstream, who were in the old German trenches south of

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The 3rd Battalion.

After the battle of Loos Colonel Corry returned, and resumed command of the 3rd Battalion. Captain Wolrige-Gordon was transferred from the 1st Battalion, and Second Lieutenant L. St. L. Hermon-Hodge and Second Lieutenant E. R. M. Fryer from the 2nd Battalion to the 3rd Battalion, while Captain Sir R. Filmer, Bt. , went from the 3rd Battalion to the 4th Battalion. The 3rd Battalion remained in billets till the 4th , when it took over from the 5th Liverpool Regiment a line of trenches resting on t

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The 4th Battalion

After the heavy casualties it had suffered at Loos, the 4th Battalion had to be reorganised; and Captain Morrison, now in command, redistributed the officers and non-commissioned officers, and as far as possible made up the deficiencies. The Battalion remained in billets at La Bourse until the 3rd , when it was ordered to occupy the trenches on the left of the Hulluch—Vermelles road. Here there was a certain amount of shelling. The system of trenches was highly complicated, and extensive works w

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Diary of the War

Although no large operations took place at the beginning of 1916, there was continual fighting in various parts of the line. The Germans made several attacks on the Yser Canal and at Neuville on the French front, and also attempted minor operations at Givenchy and on the Ypres—Comines Canal. In February the great battle of Verdun commenced, and in spite of heavy losses the Germans made some progress, capturing Haumont Wood and Village. Large masses of men were employed, and there was severe figh

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The 1st Battalion

The beginning of 1916 found the 1st Battalion in Brigade Reserve at La Gorgue, where it had retired after a strenuous time in the trenches, and where it settled down to steady drill and instruction in bombing. The list of officers was as follows: On the 12th it moved to Laventie, and from there went into the trenches at Picantin every alternate forty-eight hours, taking turns with the 4th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion Irish Guards. On January 14 Second Lieutenant C. T. Swift joined, and on the

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The 2nd Battalion

At the beginning of the New Year the 2nd Battalion Grenadiers was in billets at Riez Bailleul, and went up every two days to occupy the trench line at Ebenezer Farm. On the 8th it marched to Calonne, and on the 12th to Arrewage, where it remained until the 25th . On the 14th Lieut. -Colonel G. D. Jeffreys left to take over temporary command of the 3rd Battalion, but after three days he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General, and was appointed to the 58th Infantry Brigade. On the 21st Seco

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A SELECTION OF NEW BOOKS

3 Vols. With Portraits and Plans. 8vo. £2:12:6 net. THE LIFE OF LORD KITCHENER BY Sir GEORGE ARTHUR , BT., M.V.O. Private Secretary to Lord Kitchener, 1914-16 WITH PREFACES BY THE MARQUIS OF SALISBURY and EARL HAIG LETTERS OF TRAVEL. By Rudyard Kipling . Edition de Luxe. 8vo. 10s. 6d. net. Uniform Edition. Crown 8vo. 7s. 6d. net. Pocket Edition. Fcap. 8vo. Cloth, 6s. net; Leather, 7s. 6d. net. DEMOCRACY. By the Right Hon. Viscount Bryce , O.M., P.C., D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S. 8vo. THE ECONOMIC CONSE

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A SELECTION OF MILITARY WORKS

THE MILITARY MAP: Elements of Topography. By Gerald Maxwell , F.R.G.S. New and greatly enlarged edition. With maps. 8vo. 6s. net. BY THE HON. J. W. FORTESCUE A HISTORY OF THE BRITISH ARMY. With numerous maps and plans. 8vo. VOLS. I. and II. TO THE CLOSE OF THE SEVEN YEARS' WAR. Second edition. 18s. net each. Vol. III. TO THE SECOND PEACE OF PARIS. 18s. net. VOL. IV. FROM THE FALL OF THE BASTILLE TO THE PEACE OF AMIENS. In two parts and a separate volume of maps. Second edition. 42s. net. Vol. V.

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THE GRENADIER GUARDS IN THE GREAT WAR OF 1914-1918

MACMILLAN AND CO. , Limited LONDON · BOMBAY · CALCUTTA · MADRAS MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NEW YORK · BOSTON · CHICAGO DALLAS · SAN FRANCISCO THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, Ltd. TORONTO TORONTO J. S. Sargent portrait Emery Walker ph. sc. Field Marshal H.R.H. The Duke of Connaught K.G. , G.C.B. &amp;c. Colonel of the Regiment The 3rd Battalion 3rd Batt. Jan. 1916. At the beginning of 1916 the officers of the 3rd Battalion were: On the 1st the 3rd Battalion marched from Merville to Laventie

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CHAPTER XVIII

On the 14th the Battalion marched back to La Gorgue, where it remained in billets for ten days, after which it returned to Laventie. Great activity was noticeable behind the enemy’s lines, and as this might be the prelude to an attack every precaution was taken. There seemed some possibility of a gas attack, and special warnings were conveyed to each company, but although the enemy’s artillery shelled the strong points in our line, Elgin Post, Fauquissart Cross Roads, and Hougoumont Post, no inf

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CHAPTER XIX

The first phase of the battle took place at the beginning of July, and although the attacks in the northern sector were unsuccessful, the armour was pierced; while in the south our troops secured Mametz, Montauban, Fricourt, Contalmaison, and Trônes Wood. On July 14 and the three following days, the capture of the enemy’s second line on a front of three miles gave us possession of the main plateau between Delville Wood and Bazentin-le-Petit. The long and severe struggle, which was the second pha

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CHAPTER XX

The 1st Battalion 1st Batt. Oct. 1916. The 1st Battalion remained in bivouacs at Carnoy after the battle of the Somme, and on October 1 proceeded in motor buses, provided by the French, to Fontaine-le-Sec, where it remained till the end of the month. Training was carried out daily with bombing practice and occasional musketry. The following officers joined during the month: on the 5th, Second Lieutenant C. Wilkinson; on the 7th, Second Lieutenant B. L. Lawrence; on the 18th, Lieutenant F. C. St.

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CHAPTER XXI

In Mesopotamia General Sir Stanley Maude commenced a series of brilliant operations which resulted in the fall of Kut-el-Amara on February 24, and the capture of Baghdad on March 11. In Palestine General Sir A. Murray succeeded in inflicting a blow on the Turks at Gaza, and took 900 prisoners, but these operations were only partially successful. On March 13 China broke off diplomatic relations with Germany. The 1st Battalion 1st Batt. Jan. 1917. The officers of the 1st Battalion on January 1, 19

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CHAPTER XXII

The 1st Battalion 1st Batt. April. The officers of the 1st Battalion on April 1, 1917, were: The whole of April was spent by the 1st Battalion in working on the railway and in training. Second Lieutenant A. S. Chambers joined on the 11th; Lieutenant E. G. L. King, Second Lieutenant H. G. Johnson, and Second Lieutenant J. W. Chapple on the 30th. On the 26th Captain C. V. Fisher-Rowe arrived to take up the duties of Second in Command, but did not remain long, as he was appointed a week later Briga

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CHAPTER XXIII

London was raided by a large number of German aeroplanes, and many people were killed and wounded by the bombs which were dropped. The Guards Division When the attack on the Boesinghe Sector was decided upon, the great difficulty of crossing the Canal under the enemy’s artillery fire at once presented itself to the Corps and Divisional Commanders. It would be necessary to construct bridges, and under an accurate barrage the loss of life entailed in crossing the Canal would certainly be very heav

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CHAPTER XXIV

In Mesopotamia Sir Stanley Maude defeated the Turks at Ramadie, and there was some further fighting in East Africa. China declared war on the Central Powers. During these months several air raids were carried out against England, and not only London but many other towns were severely bombed. The 1st Battalion 1st Batt. Aug. After the operations at Boesinghe the 1st Battalion retired for a few days’ rest to Forest Area, but returned to the front trenches on August 5. While it was being relieved b

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CHAPTER XXV

General Feilding decided to hold the line with Seymour’s Brigade until the 9th, and to carry out the attack with De Crespigny’s Brigade on the right and Sergison-Brooke’s Brigade on the left. De Crespigny’s Brigade was to cross the Broembeek from Panther and Leopard trenches, and continue on either side of the Koekuit Road through Vee Bend to its final objective, on the edge of the forest, from Egypt House to about 800 yards east of Les Cinq Chemins. Sergison-Brooke’s Brigade, starting from Crao

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CHAPTER XXVI

From Mesopotamia came the sad news of the death of General Sir Stanley Maude from cholera, and the appointment of General Sir W. R. Marshall as his successor. Cambrai and Gouzeaucourt Nov. In November Sir Douglas Haig determined to take advantage of the concentration of the enemy’s forces on other parts of the line, to carry out a surprise attack in the direction of Cambrai, and to penetrate as far as possible into the German lines, with a view to dislocate one of the enemy’s nerve centres. In h

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CHAPTER XXVII

The 1st Battalion January 1 to March 31, 1918 1st Batt. Jan. 1918. The 1st Battalion left its billets north of the Scarpe, and went by train to Fampoux, where it relieved the 12th Battalion Highland Light Infantry in the line, with three companies in the front trench and one in reserve. On the 5th it was relieved by the 4th Battalion Grenadiers, and retired into Brigade Reserve for four days. On returning to the front trenches on the 9th, a hostile patrol was observed approaching our lines, and

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Transcriber Note

Obvious printing errors, such as spaces missing between letters and final stops missing at the end of abbreviations, were adjusted. Misspelled words and names were not changed. Sidenotes are displayed against a light grey background at the left of the paragraphs where they occur. Anchors and footnotes were numbered in sequence; notes were moved to the end of the volume. The illustration of The Earl of Cavan was moved to follow General Order 73....

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CHAPTER XXVIII

FEBRUARY, MARCH 1918 (4TH BATTALION) On February 12 the 4th Battalion left the Guards Division, and was played out by the drums of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions Grenadier Guards, the pipers of the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards, and the band of the Irish Guards. Brigadier-General Lord Henry Seymour watched the Battalion march by, and congratulated Lieut.-Colonel Pilcher on its smart appearance. Thus the newly formed 4th Guards Brigade joined the Thirty-First Division. On the 14th Major-General Si

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The 1st Battalion

After the very strenuous days at the end of March, when the German attacks were successfully repelled, the 1st Battalion remained in the front line for two days, but whether the enemy considered it wiser to try some other parts of the line, or whether they were merely waiting for reinforcements, they showed very little signs of life. A heavy bombardment, directed against the Canadians on the left, which was vigorously responded to, seemed to indicate an attack in that direction, but by the time

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The 2nd Battalion

On the night of April 3 the Thirty-second Division captured Ayette, which considerably eased the situation on the right flank of the Guards Division. The 2nd Battalion went up into the line, and found the trenches very wet. On the 4th, during a heavy shelling, which was entirely directed against No. 1 Company on the right, Lieutenant the Hon. H. F. P. Lubbock was killed by a shell which pitched in the trench. This was a great loss to the Battalion, for he was an officer of sound judgment, who di

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The 3rd Battalion

The 3rd Battalion spent the whole month of April either in the trenches, with three Companies in the front line, or in reserve. On the 7th Lieutenant E. G. A. Fitzgerald was wounded, and on the 8th the following officers joined the Battalion: Lieutenant F. A. Magnay, Second Lieutenant R. K. Henderson, Lieutenant C. Clifton Brown, and Second Lieutenant H. W. Sanderson. The days spent in the front trenches were remarkably quiet, but as the ground on which these trenches were dug was overlooked by

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CHAPTER XXX

APRIL 1-14, 1918 The 4th Battalion In April 1918 it fell to the lot of the 4th Guards Brigade to take part in some of the fiercest fighting of the war. Ludendorff had opened a concentrated attack with nine divisions on the line north of La Bassée, and General von Quast, who commanded the German forces, had penetrated the portion of the line held by the Portuguese, and gained a considerable amount of ground. Reinforced by General von Arnim's infantry, he pushed on in the hope of gaining the Chann

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Roll of Officers in July

At the beginning of July the Battalion went to Criel Plage. On the 20th the third anniversary of the formation of the Battalion was duly celebrated by a football match between the two half battalions, and a Sergeants' dinner and concert, which Brigadier-General Butler attended. During August the Battalion remained at Criel Plage employed in training and fatigue work. Lieutenant C. C. Cubitt joined. At the beginning of September Captain R. Wolrige-Gordon joined, and on the 25th the Battalion proc

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Roll of Officers at the Beginning of October

On October 3 the Battalion moved to Frise, and on the 8th to Pœuilly. Its movements now depended on the Cavalry Corps, but as there was no scope for the latter, since the country was enclosed and full of barbed wire, its rôle was to march in the wake of the divisions, which were driving the Germans in front of them. In order to be at hand if wanted it was necessary to keep well up, and so the column was constantly under shell-fire. On leaving Pœuilly the Battalion marched to Bellenglise, moving

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Operations from August 21 to 28

Divisional Account After Rawlinson's success on the Somme Byng was ordered to advance, recover the Arras—Albert railway, and generally to hustle the Germans, who were now falling slowly back. This was to be the prelude to the main operation. The attack on August 21 was planned and carried out at exceedingly short notice, and was completely successful. The subsequent daily attacks, executed in pursuance of the policy laid down by higher authority, gave the enemy no rest and no opportunity of orga

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The 1st Battalion

July and August After six days spent at Barly, the 1st Battalion marched to Bavincourt, where it entrained for Blaireville. On arrival the men were provided with tea and cigarettes by the Thirty-second Division, and the Battalion took over trench shelters from the 2nd Battalion Manchester Regiment, whose Adjutant was Captain Kaye, formerly a sergeant in the King's Company, and whose Second in Command was Major Marshall, late Irish Guards. On the 10th the Battalion relieved the 2nd Battalion Scot

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The 2nd Battalion

The 2nd Battalion, which had been training during the first few days in July at Saulty, proceeded by train on the 5th to Ransart, where tea was provided for the men by the Thirty-second Division. Guides from the Royal Scots led the Battalion to the position which it was to take up as reserve battalion of the brigade 500 yards east of Ransart. The Guards Division was occupying a sector of the line with its right joining the Second Division between Ayette and Moyenneville, and its left joining the

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The 3rd Battalion

The first week in July was spent by the 3rd Battalion at Labazeque, and on the 7th it proceeded to Ransart, where it relieved the 10th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in the right sector of the front occupied by the Guards Division. Two companies were placed in the front line with one company in support and one in reserve, and officers' patrols were sent out every night from dusk to dawn, but there was no movement on the part of the enemy. On the 10th the Battalion moved back into su

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CAPTURED GERMAN DIVISIONAL ORDER

234 Div. Div. H.Q., Abt. la. 2802. 21-8-18. 1. According to information received from the Army we have repulsed 4½ English Divisions to-day. The enemy has been beaten and he knows it. The enemy has reached the Achiet le Grand Boisleux Railway. New artillery positions have been located, large enemy concentrations and movement observed. 2. XVIII. Corps will retake the old main line of resistance. For this operation the 234 Div.—under the orders of the 40th Div.—will attack with the 2nd Guards Res.

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Divisional Account

During September Marshal Foch followed up his successes all along the line, and the Germans were forced to abandon position after position. Ludendorff, however, always imagined that the Siegfried line was impregnable, and that if the German Army succeeded in getting back there intact, there was no reason why this position should not be held during the winter. To the British Army was assigned the difficult task of piercing this impregnable line and rendering it untenable, but many doubts were exp

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The 1st Battalion

On September 2 the Battalion proceeded to the area about Homme Mort, and halted for dinner near Moyenneville. In the afternoon the whole Brigade concentrated in Maida Vale, and Lord Gort rode forward with the Company Commanders towards Longatte, in view of an attack the following day. The orders for the attack were issued that night, and early the next morning the Battalion proceeded to Noreuil, where they went into old German dug-outs. The Germans had retired to the Hindenburg line, and a gener

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The Attack on Premy Chapel

On the evening of the 26th the Battalion left its billets about a mile north-west of the village of Lagnicourt, and marched with its full battle equipment, accompanied by Lewis guns, limbers, field-kitchens, and water-carts, along the Lagnicourt—Doignies road, to its bivouacs about 1500 yards west of Louverval Wood. The strength of the Battalion was 15 officers and 395 other ranks actually going into action. The officers who took part in the attack were: Lieut. R. W. F. Echlin was acting Brigade

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The 2nd Battalion

During the first week in September the Battalion near Adinfer was training and reorganising, after the heavy losses incurred in the operations at the end of August. From the 7th to 11th the Battalion, under Major Harcourt-Vernon, went up into the front line, where it came in for much shelling, especially from gas-shells, and, although the troops on each flank carried out offensive operations, it was not called upon to attack. After ten days spent out of the line, during which Second Lieutenant K

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The 3rd Battalion

On the 24th the Battalion moved back to Ransart, and reorganised the companies which had suffered. Lieutenant J. A. Inglis-Jones joined on the 31st. Lieut.-Colonel Thorne left to take over command of the Ninth Corps School, and was succeeded by Major Viscount Lascelles. On September 1 a warning order was received that the Brigade would take part in an attack, and the following morning the Battalion marched to Hamelincourt. Under the impression that it would stay there for the night, Lord Lascell

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The Guards Division

In October the Germans found the retirement more and more difficult. During September they had lost a quarter of a million prisoners and an immense number of guns, and their original intention of making a determined stand on one of their deeply fortified lines had long since been abandoned. The Allied Armies were pressing them back all along the line, and the continual retirement was beginning to affect the spirit of the Army. After the Siegfried line had been broken through, Sir Douglas Haig co

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The 1st Battalion

At the beginning of October Major the Hon. W. R. Bailey arrived, and took command of the Battalion. On the 7th orders were received to proceed to Havrincourt, where the Guards Division was to be in reserve during an attack by the Second and Third Divisions. The attack proved successful, and on the evening of the 8th the Battalion moved to Marcoing, where it was bivouacked in some old trenches. On the 9th the 1st and 2nd Guards Brigade attacked, and the 3rd Guards Brigade was in Divisional Reserv

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The 2nd Battalion

After the operations at the end of September the Battalion bivouacked close to the village of Demicourt for ten days' training. Meanwhile Lieut.-Colonel Rasch, having been appointed to command the 1st Provisional Battalion at Aldershot, left for England, and Major C. F. A. Walker, M.C., took over the 2nd Battalion. The following officers took part in the fighting on October 9: During the night of the 7th the Battalion moved into some trenches near Marcoing, and next morning it crossed the St. Qu

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The 3rd Battalion

In the first week in October the Battalion remained at Doignies, where during a practice attack a barrage from a smoke rifle grenade was tried, and on the 8th moved to Premy Chapel. An attack was being made by the Sixty-second Division, and the Battalion, which was not called upon, moved on later to Masnières. Cambrai could be seen in the distance burning fiercely throughout the night. On the 9th the orders were not received until the Battalion was in its assembly position. The following officer

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The Guards Division

The advance in November, culminating in the capture of Maubeuge, was so rapid, the extent of ground covered in so short a time so great, and the number of prisoners and guns taken so large, that there was little doubt that an Armistice on any conditions was the only thing that could save the German army from absolute disaster. The Guards Division moved up on the 2nd from Escarmain towards Villers Pol. The objectives or bounds were no longer measured in yards but in miles, and the ambitious progr

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The 1st Battalion

After ten days' rest spent in billets at St. Vaast the Battalion went in pursuit of the retreating Germans, and marched to Escarmain, which was being shelled by the enemy. On the 4th the 1st and 2nd Guards Brigades attacked, while the 3rd Guards Brigade was in Divisional Reserve. The Battalion moved by companies at 200-yards intervals to Mortre Farm, where it bivouacked in the orchard, moving on again in the afternoon to Villers Pol. Here orders were received that the Battalion was to go through

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The 2nd Battalion

In the fighting on November 4 the following officers took part: The Battalion marched from Capelle through La Croisette and Villers Pol to its assembly area, which was a line 100 yards east of the Jenlain—Le Quesnoy road. Villers Pol was being heavily shelled at the time, and a good number of casualties resulted. Lieut.-Colonel Walker was ordered to advance in support of the 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards, until the capture of the first objective, the Fresnay—Wargnies-le-Petit road, had been co

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The 3rd Battalion

On November 2 the Battalion left St. Python, where it had been billeted, and moved up to Capelle. The following officers in the 3rd Battalion took part in the operations from November 4 to 9: The Battalion moved off early to bivouac at Capelle. After slipping and stumbling along a greasy chalk track, the companies reached their positions, and were told to dig in. This order was easier to give than to execute, for the men had only their light entrenching tools, which were ill suited for excavatin

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The 4th Battalion

Cologne, it was feared, might be difficult to manage, for, although the country people had submissively borne the mass of British troops inflicted upon them, it seemed probable that the inhabitants of a large town like Cologne would resent the occupation. The disorderly elements might take advantage of the arrival of troops, belonging to their most hated enemy, to make a hostile demonstration, and even to shoot. But here again a surprise awaited our men, for the greater portion of the inhabitant

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CHAPTER XXXVII

THE 7TH (GUARDS) ENTRENCHING BATTALION The enormous amount of spade work, required for the long and intricate network of trenches, rendered some measures necessary for supplementing the work, usually done by the fighting forces; and thus entrenching battalions were formed, composed of drafts for the front, awaiting absorption in their respective units; but the system of detaching men from Battalions of Guards and sending them to fill any vacancies that might occur in one of the entrenching batta

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CHAPTER XXXVIII

THE RESERVE BATTALION The Reserve Battalion, originally known as the 4th Battalion, sprang into existence at the School of Mines at the London University at Kensington as soon as war was declared in 1914. Within five days one thousand seven hundred reservists had arrived from all parts of England and Wales, and retired officers appeared on the scene, whether they belonged to the Reserve or not. This mass of men had to be converted into a disciplined Battalion, non-commissioned officers appointed

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CHAPTER XXXIX

THE BAND In the first year of the war it does not appear to have occurred to any one that the Battalions at the front would wish to have a band, but when the Guards Division was formed in 1915 the lack of music was much felt, and it was decided that the regimental bands of the five Guards Regiments should be sent out in turn. The Grenadier Guards Band was naturally sent out for the first tour of duty at the front, and was therefore fortunate enough to earn the distinction of being the only band

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Prisoners of War Fund

Early in the war the problem of how to deal with the Prisoners of War had to be faced, and Sir Reginald Thynne, having organised the Comforts Fund, now turned his attention to this at the request of Colonel Streatfeild. The Grenadiers were fortunate in having far fewer prisoners than other regiments, but the fact that there were men of the Regiment at the mercy of a country, which had proved itself capable of the most dastardly cruelty, was enough to warrant energetic steps being taken at once t

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System of sending Parcels to Grenadier Prisoners of War in Germany

1. No parcels either of food, tobacco, tea, or clothing can now be sent by private individuals to these prisoners, nor should monetary assistance be given to any agency except our own. Books can be sent to them only through authorised publishers, such as Mudie's, W. H. Smith, and Bumpus. Gramophones, boxing-gloves, and a few other such articles can sometimes be sent by special request through the Central Prisoners of War Committee, 4 Thurloe Place, S.W.7. We cannot accept parcels from individual

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Relief and Charitable Work carried out at Regimental Headquarters

Discharged Men A letter was sent to all discharged men, offering assistance and giving information regarding the Guards Employment Society. Discharged men were encouraged to communicate with Regimental Headquarters in all their troubles, and help was always given in one form or another. Many letters and applications were received, and all were sympathetically replied to and assisted where necessary. Memorial Fund This Fund was founded in 1915 by sums of money given by relatives to perpetuate the

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APPENDIX II

THE TITLE "GRENADIERS" During 1915 the whole Regiment was much perturbed by the official use of the word "grenadier" as applied to men in all regiments who were being trained to throw bombs. This expression began to creep into official documents in April, and about this time a memorandum was published by General Headquarters on the training and employment of "grenadiers." In June the Army Council addressed a circular letter to officers commanding battalions, by which authority was given for the

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APPENDIX III

OFFICERS KILLED IN ACTION OR DIED OF WOUNDS NOMINAL ROLL OF W.O.'s, N.C.O.'s, AND MEN WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED IN ACTION, OR WHO HAVE DIED OF WOUNDS OR DISEASE IN THE EUROPEAN WAR OF 1914-1918:—...

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GUARDSMEN

Officers Wounded...

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CASUALTIES SINCE COMMENCEMENT OF WAR

Total number of Prisoners of War repatriated, 484....

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APPENDIX VI

REWARDS Officers [ The ranks shown are those held at the time of award ] "V.C." "G.C.B." "K.C.B." "C.B." "G.C.M.G." "K.C.M.G." "C.M.G." "D.S.O." BAR TO "D.S.O." SECOND BAR TO "D.S.O." "M.C." BAR TO "M.C." SECOND BAR TO "M.C." "G.B.E." "K.B.E." "C.B.E." "O.B.E." "M.B.E." SPECIAL AND BREVET PROMOTIONS To be Lieutenant-General: To be Major-General: To be Brevet-Colonel: To be Brevet-Colonel in Reserve of Officers: To be Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel: To be Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel in Reserve of Office

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APPENDIX VII

REWARDS Warrant and Non-Commissioned Officers and Men...

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APPENDIX VIII

"MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES" Officers...

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APPENDIX X

Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and Men who have been promoted to Commissioned Rank since the Commencement of Hostilities R.S.-Regimental Staff. D.-Depots. W.A.R.-West African Regiment. P.S.-Permanent Staff. M.G.C.-Machine Gun Company. A.G.S.-Army Gymnastic Staff. S.L.-Supernumerary List. Ex-Warrant and Non-Commissioned Officers and Men Appointed To Commissions Since Commencement of Hostilities. Rank now held according to March 1919 Army List Non-Commissioned Officers and Men discha

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