CHAPTERVII

chaptervii

attheendofthosebattleshappenedthatsurprising,audaciousadventureinthecambraisalientorganizedbythethirdarmyundergeneralbyng,whenonnovember20,1917,squadronsoftanksbrokethroughthehindenburgline,andinfantrystreamedthroughthebreach,capturedhundredsofguns,tenthousandprisoners,manyvillagesandridges,andgaveamonstrousshocktothegermanhighcommand.

theaudacityoftheadventurelayinthepovertyofmanpowerwithwhichitwasattemptedandsupported.thedivisionsengagedhadallbeenthroughthegrindingmillofflandersandweretiredmen.theartillerywasmadeuplargelyofthosebatterieswhichhadbeenaxle—deepinflandersmud.itwasclearlyunderstoodbygeneralbyngandgen.louisvaughan,hischiefofstaff,thatsirdouglashaigcouldnotaffordtogivethemstrongreservestoexploitanyesstheymightgainbysurpriseortodefendthecapturedgroundagainstcertaincounter-attacks.itwastobeasurpriseassaultbytanksandinfantry,withthehopethatthecavalrycorpsmightfinditsgapatlastandsweeproundcambraibeforetheenemycouldrecoverandreorganize.withothercorrespondentsisawgen.louisvaughan,whoexpoundedtheschemebeforeitwaslaunched.thatcharmingman,withhisprofessionalmanner,sweetnessofspeech,gentlenessofvoiceandgesture,likeanoxforddonanalyzingthewarcorrespondenceofxenophon,madenosecretoftheeconomywithwhichtheoperationwouldhavetobemade.

“wemustcutourcoataccordingtoourcloth,”hesaid.

thewholeideawastoseizeonlyasmuchgroundastheinitialesscouldgain,andnottopressifresistancebecamestrong.itwasagamble,withachanceofluck.thecavalrymightdonothing,orscoreabigtriumph.alldependedonthesurpriseofthetanks.iftheywerediscoveredbeforetheassaultthewholeadventurewouldfailatthestart.

theyhadbeenbroughtupsecretlybynight,fourhundredofthem,withsupply-tanksforammunitionandpetrollyinghiddeninwoodsbyday.sotheartilleryandinfantryandcavalryhadbeenconcentratedalso.theenemybelievedhimselfsecureinhishindenburgline,whichhadbeenconstructedbehindbroadhedgesofbarbedwirewithsuchwideditchesthatnotankcouldcross.

how,then,wouldtankscross?ah,thatwasalittletrickwhichwouldsurprisethegermansmightily.eachtankwouldadvancethroughtheearlymorningmistswithabridgeonitsnose.thebridgewasreallyabig“fascine,”orbundleoffagotsaboutayardandahalfindiameter,andcontrolledbyaleverandchainfromtheinteriorofthetank.havingplowedthroughthebarbedwireandreachedtheedgeofthehindenburgtrench,thetankwoulddropthefascineintothecenteroftheditch,stretchoutitslongbody,reachthebundleoffagots,findsupportonit,anduseitasastepping-stonetotheotherside.verysimpleinideaandeffect!

soithappened,andthemistsfavoredus,asisawonthemorningoftheattackatalittleplacecalledbeaumont,nearvillerspluich.theenemywascompletelysurprised,caughtatbreakfastinhisdugouts,roundedupinbatches.thetankswentawaythroughthebreachtheyhadmade,withtheinfantryswarmingroundthem,andcapturedhavrincourt,hermies,ribecourt,gouzeaucourt,masnieres,andmarcoing,andawidestretchofcountryformingacuporamphitheaterbelowaseriesoflowridgessouthofbourlonwood,wherethegroundroseagain.

itwasaspectacularbattle,suchaswehadneverseenbefore,andduringthefollowingdays,whenourtroopsworkeduptobourlonwoodandthroughtheinterveningvillagesofanneux,graincourt,containg,andfontainenotredame,isawtanksgoingintoactionandcruisingaboutlikelandships,withcavalrypatrolsridingoveropenground,airplanesflyinglowovergermanterritory,andmassesofinfantrybeyondalltrench-lines,andstreamsofliberatedcivilianstrudgingthroughthelinesfrommarcoing.theenemywasdemoralizedthefirstdayandmadeonlyslightresistance.thechieflossesofthetankswereduetoagermanmajorofartillerywhoservedhisowngunsandknockedoutabaker'sdozenofthesemonstersastheycrawledovertheflesquieresridge.isawthemlyingtherewiththebloodandbonesoftheirpilotsandcrewswithintheirsteelwalls.itwasahighlandsoldierwhocheckedthegermanmajor.

“you'reabraveman,”hesaid,“butyou'vegottodee,”andranhimthroughthestomachwithhisbayonet.itwasthischeckattheflesquieresridge,followedbythebreakingofabridgeatmasnieresundertheweightofatankandtheholdingofatrench-linecalledtherumillyswitchbyabattalionofgermanswhoracedtoitfromcambraibeforeourmencouldcaptureit,whichthwartedtheplansofthecavalry.ourcavalrygeneralswereinconsultationattheirheadquarters,toofarbacktotakeimmediateadvantageofthesituation.theywaitedforthecaptureoftherumillyswitch,andheldupmassesofcavalrywhomisawridingthroughthevillageofribecourt,withexcitementandexaltation,becausetheythoughtthatatlasttheirchancehadcome.finallyordersweregiventocancelallpreviousplanstoadvance.onlyonesquadron,belongingtothecanadianfortgarryhorseingeneralseely'sdivision,failedtoreceivetheorder(theircolonelrodeafterthem,buthishorseslippedandfellbeforehecaughtthemup),anditwastheirdayofheroicfolly.theyrodefastandmadetheirwaythroughagapinthewirecutbythetroopers,andcameunderrifleandmachine-gunfire,whichwoundedthecaptainandseveralmen.

thecommandwascarriedonbyayounglieutenant,whorodewithhismenuntiltheyreachedthecamouflagedroadsoutheastofthevillageofrumilly,wheretheywentthroughinsectionsunderthefireoftheenemyhiddeninthebanks.heretheycameupagainstabatteryoffield-guns,oneofwhichfiredpoint-blankatthem.theychargedthebattery,puttingthegunsoutofactionandkillingsomeofthegunners.thosewhowerenotdestroyedsurrendered,andtheprisonerswerelefttobesentbackbythesupports.thesquadronthendealtwiththegermaninfantryintheneighborhood.someofthemfled,whilesomewerekilledorsurrendered.alltheseoperationsweredoneatagallopunderfirefromflankingblockhouses.thesquadronthensloweddowntoawalkandtookupapositioninasunkenroadonekilometereastofrumilly.darknesscreptdownuponthem,andgraduallytheyweresurroundedbygermaninfantrywithmachine-guns,sothattheywereingreatdangerofcaptureordestruction.onlyfiveoftheirhorsesremainedunhit,andthelieutenantincommanddecidedthattheymustendeavortocuttheirwaythroughandgetback.thehorseswerestampededinthedirectionoftheenemyinordertodrawthemachine-gunfire,andwhiletheseriderlesshorsesgallopedwildlyoutofoneendofthesunkenroad,theofficerandhissurvivingtroopersescapedfromtheotherend.onthewaybacktheyencounteredfourbodiesoftheenemy,whomtheyattackedandrouted.ononeoccasiontheirescapewasduetothecunningofanotheryounglieutenant,whospokegermanandheldconversationswiththeenemyinthedarkness,deceivingthemastotheidentityofhisforceuntiltheywereabletotakethegermantroopsbysurpriseandhackawaythrough.thislieutenantwashitinthefacebyabullet,andwhenhearrivedbackinmasniereswithhismeninadvanceoftherear-guardhewasonlyabletomakehisreportbeforefallinginastateofcollapse.

othersmallbodiesofcavalry—amongthemthe8thdragoonsand5thhussars—hadwild,heroicadventuresinthecambraisalient,wheretheyrodeunderblastsofmachine-gunfireandroundedupprisonersintheruinedvillagesofnoyellesandfontainenotredame.someofthemwentintothefoliewoodnearbyandmetsevengermanofficersstrollingabouttheglades,asthoughnowarwason.theytookthemprisoners,buthadtoreleasesomeofthemlater,astheycouldnotbebotheredwiththem.latertheycameacrosssixammunition—wagonsanddestroyedthem.intheheartofthewoodwasoneofthegermandivisionalheadquarters,andoneofourcavalryofficersdismountedandapproachedthecottagestealthily,andlookedthroughthewindows.insidewasapartyofgermanofficersseatedatatable,withbeermugsinfrontofthem,apparentlyunconsciousofanydangernearthem.ourofficerfiredhisrevolverthroughthewindowsandthen,likeaschoolboywhohasthrownastone,ranawayashardashecouldandjoinedhistroop.youthfulfollyofgallanthearts!

aftertheenemy'ssurprisehisresistancestiffenedandheheldthevillageoffontainenotredame,andbourlonwood,onthehillabove,withstrongrear-guards.veryquickly,too,hebroughtnewbatteriesintoaction,andthingsbecameunpleasantinfieldsandvillageswhereourmen,asisawthemonthosedays,huntedaroundforsouvenirsingermandugoutsandfoundfield-glasses,automaticpistols,andothergoodbooty.

itseemedtomethattheplanasoutlinedbygen.louisvaughan,nottoexploitessfartherthanjustifiedbytheinitialsurprise,wasabandonedforatime.abrigadeofguardswasputintoattackfontainenotredame,andsufferedheavilyfrommachine-gunfirebeforetakingit.the62d(yorkshire)divisionlostmanygoodmeninbourlonvillageandbourlonwood,intowhichtheenemypouredgas-shellsandhighexplosives.

thenonnovember30ththegermans,underthedirectionofgeneralvonmarwitz,camebackuponuswithatiger'spounce,inasurpriseattackwhichweoughttohaveanticipated.ihappenedtobeonthewaytogouzeaucourtearlythatmorning,and,goingthroughthevillageoffins,nexttoit,isawmenlingbackinsomedisorder,andgun-teamswedgedinadensetrafficmovinginwhatseemedtomethewrongdirection.

“idon'tknowwhattodo,”saidayounggunnerofficer.“mybatteryhasbeencapturedandican'tgetintotouchwiththebrigade.”

“whathashappened?”iasked.

helookedatmeinsurprise.

“don'tyouknow?theenemyhasbrokenthrough.”

“brokenthroughwhere?”

thegunnerofficerpointeddowntheroad.

“atthepresentmomenthe'singouzeaucourt.”

iwentnorthward,andsawthatplaceslikehermiesandhavrincourt,whichhadbeenpeacefulspotsforafewdays,wereunderheavyfire.bourlonwoodbeyondwasafieryfurnace.hellhadbrokenoutagainandthingslookedbad.therewasageneralpackingupofdumpsandfieldhospitalsandheavybatteries.ingouzeaucourtandotherplacesourdivisionalandbrigadeheadquarterswerecaughtnapping.officerswereintheirpajamasorintheirbathswhentheyheardthesnapofmachine-gunbullets.isawtheguardsgoforwardtogouzeaucourtforacounter-attack.theycamealongmunchingapplesandwhistling,asthoughonpeacemaneuvers.nextday,aftertheyhadgainedbackgouzeaucourt,isawmanyofthemwounded,lyingundertarpaulins,alldirtyandbloody.

thegermanshadadoptedourownwayofattack.theyhadassembledmassesoftroopssecretly,movingthemforwardbynightunderthecoverofwoods,sothatourairscoutssawnomovementbyday.ourlinewasweaklyheldalongthefront—the55thdivision,thinnedoutbylosses,washoldingalineofthirteenthousandyards,threetimesasmuchasanytroopscanhold,insafety—andthegermanstorm-troops,afterashort,terrificbombardment,brokethroughtoadistanceoffivemiles.

ourtiredmen,whohadgainedthefirstvictory,foughtheroicrear-guardactionsbackfrommasnieresandmarcoing,andbackfrombourlonwoodonthenorthernsideofthesalient.theymadetheenemypayahighpriceinbloodfortheessofhiscounter-attack,butwelostmanythousandsofbravefellows,andthejoybellswhichhadrunginlondononnovember20thbecamesadandironicalmusicintheheartsofourdisappointedpeople.

soended1917,ourblackyear;andinthespringof1918,afterallthelossesofthatyear,ourarmiesonthewesternfrontwerethreatenedbythegreatestmenacethathadeverdrawnneartothem,andthebritishempirewasinjeopardy.