| Regiment | 6th Wiltshire |
|---|---|
| Location | France, In the Trenches |
| Entry | Army Commander inspected N.C.O's and men who took part in action operations at 12.45p.m. Reorganising Battalion. Notes by Commanding Officers The above is the skeleton summary of the work performed by the 6th Bn. Wiltshire Regt. during the month of March. It is respectfully submitted, however, that the limitations imposed by the form of the official summary fail to do justice to the efforts made by the Battalion and the results achieved. The stand made by the Battalion at MORCHIES from 4p.m on the 22nd March to 5p.m on the 23rd and all that it meant, is a glorious episode in the history of the Wiltshire Regiment. It is a heroic record of self sacrifice stemming the victorious rush of a superior enemy and a model lesson of a rearguard fight. The subsequent retirement from FREMICOURT through BAPAUME to GREVILLERS and thence to BAYENCOURT was only one endless and stubborn fight. Suffice it to say that only one Officer, 1 Sergeant, and 18 Other Ranks came out the struggle, and that officer had also been wounded. Narrative of Operations 21 - 27 March 1918 6th WILTSHIRE REGT 21st 5.23a.m Order from Bde. To "STANDBY" 11.30a.m " " " MOVE TO ASSEMBLY Position 12.25 Arrived at Assembly position GAIKA COPSE 4.30p.m Moved to Deployment position for DOIGNIES Counter Attack Scheme Dug in, in support 57th Bde. 22nd 2.15 Orders recd D Move ground W of LEBUCQUIERS. Bn moved later to MILL Cross-roads halting there for remainder of night. 11.a.m Move to positions about MORCHIES. 4th Corps front Line of posts dug in East of sunken road MORHIES - SUGAR BEET FACTORY on BAPAUME - CAMBRAI Rd. D, A, C Coys from Left to Right. B Coy in Support Troops in front. 1 Coy 57th Bde (about 60 men) dug in, in posts about 250 yds in front. Pt of Bn 10th Cheshires (25 Div) about 1000 yds in front on Sunken road MORCHIES - CRUCIFIX on Bapaume Rd. remainder of 10th Cheshires in MORCHIES village. Troops on Left. 9th R.W.F. our left being swung back to connect with them. Troops on right. 56th Bde on S. of Bapaume Rd up to night 22/23. 4p.m Attack. Enemy moved to attack on our position from line LARNICOURT - VAULX advance coming from N.E. direction. Troops holding line MORCHIES - CRUCIFIX began to fall back on our positions. Enemy advance continued - no frontal attack on our positions facing E. being attempted. Our Lewis Guns and rifle men opened fire at 1200 yds to our front on all enemy troops moving across our front in S.W. direction. Small party of enemy continued to move across our front at long range to low ground and valley near Sunken road MORCHIES - CRUCIFIX line. 5p.m Counter Attack by Tanks made on our left. Enemy thrown back and further advance checked for day. 8p.m Our post nearest MORCHIES raided by enemy patrol from village, raid repulsed, enemy leaving 1 killed. Quiet during remainder of night. 23rd Patrols sent out in early morning to try to get touch with troops in front of us or on our right - x reprinted that. (1) Enemy occupied MORCHIES - CRUCIFIX Line (11) Our right flank was not in touch with 56th Bde - and no troops were on our immediate right. (x) This report not received until about 1p.m.) At 8a.m Enemy advance continued from N. N.E. and enemy troops in small parties moved across our front towards Bapaume Road as 1200 yds range. No frontal attack attempted by enemy at this time. Heavy shelling on Bn. H.Q. sunken road in 17a and our Front Lines, by heavy guns which were firing over our heads from N.W. direction and appeared to be our own guns. Enemy shell fire now increased and machine gun fire swept all slopes between MORCHIES and BEUGNY making movement difficult. 1p.m In order to protect our flank and rear a Coy of 10th Cheshire was placed facing Bapaume Road - this was supplemented by 2 Platoons from support Coy. 2p.m General attack by enemy on our position. Order to withdraw received from Bde at 2.15p.m owing to nature of ground behind us - a glacis slope up to BEUGNY and the fact that an attack on all our positions was in progress it was considered impossible to withdraw and it was decided to hold on until nightfall. It was not at that time fully realized that we were left entirely unprotected from our right rear. It was also hoped that by holding on until nightfall and keeping enemy in check at this point the defence of the next line of resistance might be organised and consolidated. 4p.m Enemy began to get round our flanks on right from SUGAR FACTORY and on left from MORCHIES, they were however held in check by the steadiness of our troops, who refused to give way and kept up a steady and well directed fire on all approaches. A stubborn resistance was made and heavy casualties were inflicted on the enemy whenever they attempted to advance. At 4.30p.m A general enveloping movement by the enemy who had collected considerable forces S. of Bapaume Rd made withdrawal necessary. Orders to Coys issued accordingly at 5p.m Batts withdrew under heavy barrage and severe cross fire from enemy machine guns to blue line East of FREMICOURT whence reorganisation took place. 6p.m 6 Officers (2 of whom were wounded) and 32 men were present when Bn was reformed. Later supplemented by a new draft of 64 men from Depot. 23/24 Intermittent shelling and continued m/g fire on our positions during night. Shelling increasing towards daylight. 24th Heavy shelling and machine gun fire in which we lost another officer and seven men, subsequent withdrawal to lines about Bapaume. 24/25th Withdrawal to line GREVILLERS - THILLOY where Division were reformed 56th Bde on right of Bapaume Road with one Bn in Div Support. 58th Bde with its right resting on Bapaume Road. 57th Bde with its left on GREVILLERS. Our forces being disposed in depth. 6th Wiltshire 3 lines of 3 posts each - 8 men to a post, at intervals of 100 yds and distance of 150 yds. 5th Battle of GREVILLERS. 8a.m Strong attacks supported by M.G. fire in our right flank along Bapaume Rd necessitating our rear 2 lines of posts being moved across to reinforce right flank along Bapaume Rd. No frontal attack from Enemy attempted. Enemy adopted out flanking tactics entirely and at 11a.m we commenced rearguard and flank guard action, our front posts covering retirement by steady Lewis gun and rifle fire supplemented by machine guns. All our positions heavily shelled and rifle grenades at this time. Enemy employing gas shells, we also came under fire from our own field guns. Organised retirement was difficult. 1p.m Withdrawal to system of trenches on high ground west of GREVILLERS where we continued to suffer heavily from shells and m/g fire from enemy from ridges to S. of Bapaume Rd. This system of trenches was an unfavourable position, owing to dead ground and close country around it of which the enemy took full advantage in assembling his troops, and eventually 2p.m troops withdrew to W and N.W of LOUPAERT WOOD. S.A.A. at this time was short. An excellent opportunity now occurred for making a good stand as we could hold all approaches to this position but owing to action of troops on right of 19th Division in retiring towards IRLES practically in mass the opportunity was lost. A good stand was made by part of 19 DIV N.W of LOUPART WOOD (chiefly Royal Warwicks) held up enemy advance for about 40 minutes. Steady and controlled fire by their troops on edges of wood held enemy Entirely in check and had their flanks been supported a position might have been consolidated here, as it was the enemy advance was delayed by this resolute stand and the retiring troops were enabled to withdraw in safety. Eventually the enemy at this point by means of a fold in the ground were able to creep round and assemble for an assault on the position and there troops withdrew in an orderly rearguard action after inflicting heavy casualties on enemy and suffering very slightly themselves, at 3.15p.m Three Aeroplanes assisted withdrawal by harassing fire. A further stand was made in trenches in front of IRLES by our troops (19th Div). There was a subsequent withdrawal through MIRAUMONT to ground E of PUISSIEUX where a line of outposts was established. 25/26 Our troops finally withdrew to line of outposts at HEBUTERNE. 26th & 27th Successive lines of outposts established at HEBUTERNE - FONQVILLERS and BAYENCOURT. 28th Brigade withdrew via COIGNEUX to FAMECHON. Alan Garthwaite Captain 6 Wiltshire Regt. 2/4/18. |
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