CHAPTERV

chapterv

thebattleofflandersbeganroundypresonjuly31st,withagreaterintensityofartilleryonoursidethanhadeverbeenseenbeforeinthiswarinspiteofthesommeandmessines,whenonbigdaysofbattletwothousandgunsopenedfireonasinglecorpsfront.theenemywasstrongalsoinartilleryarrangedingreatgroups,oftenshiftingtoenfiladeourlinesofattack.thenaturalstrengthofhispositionalongtheridges,whichwerelikeagreatbonyhandoutstretchedthroughflanders,withstreamsor“beeks,”astheyarecalled,flowinginthevalleyswhichranbetweenthefingersofthatclawlikerange,werestrengthenedbychainsoflittleconcretefortsor“pill-boxes,”asoursoldierscalledthem,soarrangedthattheycoulddefendoneanotherbyenfilademachine-gunfire.thesewereheldbygarrisonsofmachine—gunnersofprovedresolution,whosedutywastobreakupourwavesofattackuntil,evenifessfulingainingground,onlysmallbodiesofsurvivorswouldbeinapositiontoresistthecounter-attackslaunchedbygermandivisionsfartherback.thestrengthofthepill—boxesmadeofconcretetwoinchesthickresistedeverythingbutthedirecthitofheavyshells,andtheywerenoteasytargetsatlongrange.thegarrisonswithinthemfoughtoftenwiththeutmostcourage,evenwhensurrounded,andagainandagainthismethodofdefenseprovedterriblyeffectiveagainstthedesperateheroicassaultsofbritishinfantry.

whatourmenhadsufferedinearlierbattleswassurpassedbywhattheywerenowcalledupontoendure.alltheagoniesofwarwhichihaveattemptedtodescribewerepiledupinthosefieldsofflanders.therewasnothingmissinginthelistofwar'sabominations.afewdaysafterthebattlebegantherainsbegan,andhardlyceasedforfourmonths.nightafternighttheskiesopenedandletdownsteadytorrents,whichturnedallthatcountryintoonegreatbogofslime.thoselittleriversor“beeks,”whichranbetweentheknobbyfingersoftheclawlikerangeofridges,wereblownoutoftheirchannelsandsloppedoverintobroadswamps.thehurricanesofartilleryfirewhichourgunnerspouredupontheenemypositionsfortwentymilesindepthchurnedupdeepshell-craterswhichintermingledandmadepitswhichtherainsandfloodsfilledtothebrim.theonlywayofwalkingwasby“duck-boards,”trackslaiddownacrossthebogsunderenemyfire,smashedupdaybyday,laiddownagainundercoverofdarkness.alongaduckboardwalkmenmustmarchinsinglefile,andifoneofourmen,heavilyladeninhisfighting-kit,stumbledonthosegreasyboards(asallofthemstumbledateveryfewyards)andfelloff,hesankuptohisknees,oftenuptohiswaist,sometimesuptohisneck,inmudandwater.ifhewerewoundedwhenhefell,anddarknesswasabouthim,hecouldonlycrytogodorhispals,forhewashelplessotherwise.oneofourdivisionsoflancashiremen—the66th—tookelevenhoursinmakingthreemilesorsooutofypresacrossthatgroundontheirwaytoattack,andthen,inspiteoftheirexhaustion,attacked.yetweekafterweek,monthaftermonth,ourmassesofmen,almosteverydivisioninthebritisharmyatonetimeoranother,ledonthroughthatsloughofdespond,capturingridgeafterridge,untiltheheightsatpasschendaelewerestormedandwon,thougheventhenthegermansclungtostadenandwestroosebeekewhenalloureffortscametoadeadhalt,andthatbelgiancoastattackwasneverlaunched.

sirdouglashaigthinksthatsomeofthedescriptionsofthatsixmonths'horrorwere“erated.”asamanwhoknowssomethingofthevalueofwords,andwhosawmanyofthosebattlescenesinflanders,andwentoutfromypresmanytimesduringthosemonthstothewesthoekridgeandthepilkemridge,tothefrezenburgandinvernesscopseandglencoursewood,andbeyondtopolygonwoodandpasschendaele,wherehisdeadlayintheswampsandroundthepill-boxes,andwheretanksthathadwallowedintothemirewereshotintoscrap-ironbygermangun-fire(thirtywereknockedoutbydirecthitsonthefirstdayofbattle),andwhereourowngunswerebeingflungupbytheharassingfireofheavyshells,isaynowthatnothingthathasbeenwrittenismorethanthepaleimageoftheabominationofthosebattlefields,andthatnopenorbrushhasyetachievedthepictureofthatarmageddoninwhichsomanyofourmenperished.

theyweremonthsofghastlyendurancetogunnerswhenbatteriessankuptotheiraxlesasisawthemoftenwhiletheyfiredalmostunceasinglyfordaysandnightswithoutsleep,andwerelivingtargetsofshellswhichburstaboutthem.theyweremonthsofbattleinwhichourmenadvancedthroughslimeintoslime,undertheslashofmachine-gunbullets,shrapnel,andhighexplosives,wettotheskin,chilledtothebone,plastereduptotheeyesinmud,withadreadfulwaybackforwalkingwounded,andbutlittlechancesometimesforwoundedwhocouldnotwalk.thelossesinmanyofthesebattlesamountedalmosttoannihilationtomanybattalions,andwholedivisionslostasmuchas50percentoftheirstrengthafterafewdaysinaction,beforetheywere“relieved.”thoseweredreadfullosses.napoleonsaidthatnobodyofmencouldlosemorethan25percentoftheirfightingstrengthinanactionwithoutbeingbrokeninspirit.ourmenlostdoublethat,andmorethandouble,butkepttheircourage,thoughinsomecasestheylosttheirhope.

the55thdivisionoflancashiremen,intheirattacksonalineofpill-boxescalledplumfarm,schulerfarm,andsquarefarm,belowthegravenstafelspur,lost3,840menincasualtiesoutof6,049.thosewerenotuncommonlosses.theywereusuallosses.oneday'sfightinginflanders(onoctober4th)costthebritisharmytenthousandcasualties,andtheywereconsidered“light”bythehighercommandinrelationtotheobjectsachieved.

generalharperofthe51st(highland)divisiontoldmethatinhisopiniontheofficialcommuniquesandthewarcorrespondents'articlesgaveonlyonesideofthepictureofwarandweretooglowingintheiroptimism.(ididnottellhimthatmyarticleswereaccusedofbeingblackinpessimism,pervadinggloom.)“wetellthepublic,”hesaid,“thatanenemydivisionhasbeen'shattered.'thatistrue.butsoismine.oneofmybrigadeshaslosteighty-sevenofficersandtwothousandmensincethespring.”heprotestedthattherewasnotenoughliaisonbetweenthefighting-officersandthehighercommand,andcouldnotblamethemfortheirhatredof“thestaff.”

thestoryofthetwoirishdivisions—the36thulster;and16th(nationalist)—intheirfightingonaugust16thisblackintragedy.theywereleftinthelineforsixteendaysbeforethebattleandwereshelledandgassedincessantlyastheycrouchedinwetditches.everydaygroupsofmenwereblowntobits,untiltheditcheswerebloodyandthelivinglaybythecorpsesoftheircomrades.everydayscoresofwoundedcrawledbackthroughthebogs,iftheyhadthestrengthtocrawl.beforetheattackonaugust16ththeulsterdivisionhadlostnearlytwothousandmen.thentheyattackedandlosttwothousandmore,andoveronehundredofficers.the16thdivisionlostasmanymenbeforetheattackandmoreofficers.the8thdublinshadbeenannihilatedinholdingtheline.onthenightbeforethebattlehundredsofmenweregassed.thentheircomradesattackedandlostovertwothousandmore,andonehundredandsixty—twoofficers.allthegroundbelowtwoknollsofearthcalledhill35andhill37,whichweredefendedbygermanpill-boxescalledpondfarmandgallipoli,beckhouseandborryfarm,becameanirishshambles.inspiteoftheirdreadfullossesthesurvivorsintheirishbattalionwentforwardtotheassaultwithdesperatevaloronthemorningofaugust16th,surroundedthepill-boxes,stormedthemthroughblastsofmachine-gunfire,andtowardtheendofthedaysmallbodiesofthesemenhadgainedafootingontheobjectiveswhichtheyhadbeenaskedtocapture,butwerethentooweaktoresistgermancounter-attacks.the7thand8throyalirishfusiliershadbeenalmostexterminatedintheireffortstodislodgetheenemyfromhill37.theylostseventeenofficersoutoftwenty-one,and64percentoftheirmen.onecompanyoffourofficersandonehundredmen,orderedtocapturetheconcretefortknownasborryfarm,atallcost,lostfourofficersandseventymen.the9thdublinslostfifteenofficersoutofseventeen,and66percentoftheirmen.

thetwoirishdivisionswerebrokentobits,andtheirbrigadierscalleditmurder.theywereviolentintheirdenunciationofthefiftharmyforhavingputtheirmenintotheattackafterthosethirteendaysofheavyshelling,andafterthebattletheycomplainedthattheywerecastasidelikeoldshoes,nocarebeingtakenforthecomfortofthemenwhohadsurvived.nomotor-lorriesweresenttomeetthemandbringthemdown,buttheyhadtotrampback,exhaustedanddazed.theremnantsofthe16thdivision,thepoor,despairingremnants,weresent,withoutrestorbaths,straightintothelineagain,downsouth.

ifoundageneralopinionamongofficersandmen,notonlyoftheirishdivision,underthecommandofthefiftharmy,thattheyhadbeenthevictimsofatrociousstaff-work,tragicinitsconsequences.fromwhatisawofsomeofthefiftharmystaff-officersiwasofthesameopinion.someoftheseyounggentlemen,andsomeoftheelderlyofficers,werearrogantandsuperciliouswithoutrevealinganysymptomsofintelligence.iftheyhadwisdomitwasdeeplycamouflagedbyanairofinefficiency.iftheyhadknowledgetheyhiditasasecretoftheirown.generalgough,commandingthefiftharmyinflanders,andafterwardnorthandsouthofst.-quentin,wheretheenemybrokethrough,wasextremelycourteous,ofmostamiablecharacter,withahighsenseofduty.butinflanders,ifnotpersonallyresponsibleformanytragichappenings,hewasbadlyservedbysomeofhissubordinates;andbattalionofficersanddivisionalstaffsragedagainstthewholeofthefiftharmyorganization,orlackoforganization,withanextremepassionofspeech.

“youmustbegladtoleaveflanders,”isaidtoagroupofofficerstrekkingtowardthecambraisalient.

oneofthemanswered,violently:“godbethankedweareleavingthefiftharmyarea!”

inanearlierchapterofthisbookihavealreadypaidatributetothesecondarmy,andespeciallytosirjohnharington,itschiefofstaff.therewasathoroughnessofmethod,aminuteattentiontodetail,acareforthecomfortandspiritofthementhroughoutthesecondarmystaffwhichdidatleastinspirethetroopswiththebeliefthatwhatevertheydidinthefighting-lineshadbeenprepared,andwouldbesupported,witheverypossiblehelpthatorganizationcouldprovide.thatbeliefwasfoundednotuponfinewordsspokenonparade,butbystrenuouswork,adrivingzeal,andthefineintelligenceofachiefofstaffwhosebrainwaslikeahigh-powerengine.

irememberahistoriclittlesceneinthesecondarmyheadquartersatcassel,inaroomwheremanyofthegreatbattleshadbeenplanned,whensirjohnharingtonmadethedramaticannouncementthatsirherbertplumer,andhe,asgeneralplumer'schiefofstaff,hadbeenorderedtoitaly—inthemiddleofabattle—toreportonthesituationwhichhadbecomesogravethere.heexpressedhisregretthatheshouldhavetoleaveflanderswithoutcompletingallhisplans,butwasgladthatpasschendaelehadbeencapturedbeforehisgoing.

infrontofhimwasthemapofthegreatrangefromwytschaetetostaden,andhelaidhishanduponitandsmiledandsaid:“ioftenusedtothinkhowmuchofthatrangeweshouldgetthisyear.nowitisnearlyallours.”hethankedthewarcorrespondentsforalltheirarticles,whichhadbeenveryhelpfultothearmy,andsaidhowgladhehadbeentohaveourco-operation.

“itwasmyambition,”hesaid,speakingwithsomeemotion,“tomakecordialrelationsbetweenbattalionofficersandthestaff,andtogetridofthatcriticism(sometimesjust)whichhasbeendirectedagainstthestaff.thesecondarmyhasbeenabletoshowthefightingsoldiersthattheessofabattledependsgreatlyonefficientstaffwork,andhasinspiredthemwithconfidenceinthepreparationsandorganizationbehindthelines.”

yetitseemedtome,inmypessimism,andseemstomestill,inmymemoryofallthatghastlyfighting,thatthefinemechanismofthesecondarmyappliedtothosebattlesinflanderswasutterlymisspent,thatafterthefirstheavyrainshadfallentheoffensiveoughttohavebeenabandoned,andthatitwasafrightfulerrorofjudgmenttoaskmassesofmentoattackinconditionswheretheyhadnotadog'schanceofvictory,exceptatacostwhichmadeitofpyrrhicirony.

nevertheless,itwaswearingtheenemyout,aswellasourownstrengthinman-power.hecouldlessaffordtolosehisonemanthanwecouldourthree,nowthattheunitedstateshadenteredthewar.ludendorffhasdescribedthegermanagony,anddaysofbattlewhichhecalls“terrific,”inflicting“enormousloss”uponhisarmiesandincreasinghisanxietyatthe“reductionofourfightingstrength.”

“enormousmassesofammunition,thelikeofwhichnomortalmindbeforethewarhadconceived,werehurledagainsthumanbeingswholay,ekingoutbutabareexistence,scatteredinshell-holesthatweredeepinslime.theterrorofitsurpassedeventhatoftheshell-pittedfieldbeforeverdun.thiswasnotlife;itwasagonyunspeakable.andoutoftheuniverseofslimetheattackerwallowedforward,slowlybutcontinually,andindensemasses.timeandagaintheenemy,struckbythehailofourprojectilesintheforefield,collapsed,andourlonelymenintheshell-holesbreathedagain.thenthemasscameon.rifleandmachine-gunwerebeslimed.thelewasmantoman,and—onlytoooften—itwasthemassthatwon.

“whatthegermansoldieraccomplished,livedthrough,andsufferedduringtheflandersbattlewillstandinhishonorforalltimeasabrazenmonumentthathesethimselfwithhisownhandsonenemysoil!

“theenemy'slosses,too,wereheavy.when,inthespringof1918,weoccupiedthebattlefield,itpresentedahorriblespectaclewithitsmanyunburieddead.theirnumberranintothousands.two-thirdsofthemwereenemydead;one-thirdweregermansoldierswhohadmethereahero'sdeath.

“andyetthetruthmustbetold;individualunitsnolongersurmountedasbeforethedemoralizinginfluencesofthedefensivecampaign.

“october26thand30thandnovember6thand10thwerealsodaysofpitchedbattleoftheheaviestkind.theenemystormedlikeawildbullagainsttheironwallthatkepthimatadistancefromouru-boatbase.hehurledhisweightagainstthehouthulstwood;hehurleditagainstpoelcapelle,passchendaele,becelaere,gheluvelt,andzandvoorde;atverymanypointshedentedtheline.itseemedasifhewouldchargedownthewall;but,althoughaslighttremorpassedthroughitsfoundation,thewallheld.theimpressionsthaticontinuedtoreceivewereextremelygrave.tacticallyeverythinghadbeendone;theforefieldwasgood.ourartillerypracticehadmateriallyimproved.behindnearlyeveryfighting—divisiontherestoodasecond,asrearwave.inthethirdline,too,therewerestillreserves.weknewthatthewearandtearoftheenemy'sforceswashigh.butwealsoknewthattheenemywasextraordinarilystrongand,whatwasequallyimportant,possessedextraordinarywill-power.”

thatwastheimpressionofthecoldbraindirectingthemachineryofwarfromgermanheadquarters.morehumanandmoretragicisaletterofanunknowngermanofficerwhichwefoundamonghundredsofothers,tellingthesametale,inthemudofthebattlefield:

“ifitwerenotforthemenwhohavebeensparedmeonthisfiercedayandarelyingaroundme,andlookingtimidlyatme,ishouldshedhotandbittertearsovertheterrorsthathavemenacedmeduringthesehours.onthemorningofseptember18thmydugoutcontainingseventeenmenwasshottopiecesoverourheads.iamtheonlyonewhowithstoodthemaddeningbombardmentofthreedaysandstillsurvives.youcannotimaginethefrightfulmentaltormentsihaveundergoneinthosefewhours.aftercrawlingoutthroughthebleedingremnantsofmycomrades,andthroughthesmokeanddebris,wanderingandrunninginthemidstoftheraginggun-fireinsearchofarefuge,iamnowawaitingdeathatanymoment.youdonotknowwhatflandersmeans.flandersmeansendlesshumanendurance.flandersmeansbloodandscrapsofhumanbodies.flandersmeansheroiccourageandfaithfulnessevenuntodeath.”

tobritishandtogermansitmeantthesame.