CHAPTERX

chapterx

thefailureonthelefthardlybalancedbythepartialessontherightcausedasuddenpauseintheoperations,camouflagedbysmallattacksonminorpositionsaroundandabovefricourtandmametz.thelincolnsandotherswentovertofricourtwoodandroutedoutgermanmachine-gunners.thewestyorksattackedthesunkenroadatfricourt.thedorsets,manchesters,highlandlightinfantry,lancashirefusiliers,andborderersofthe32ddivisionwereinpossessionoflaboisselleandclearingoutcommunicationtrenchestowhichthegermanswerehangingonwithdesperatevalor.the21stdivision—northumberlandfusiliers,durhams,yorkshires-weremakingaflankingattackoncontalmaison,butweakenedaftertheirheavylossesonthefirstdayofbattle.thefightingforatimewaslocal,insmallcopses—lozengewood,peakwood,caterpillarwood,aciddropcopse—whereenglishandgermantroopsfoughtferociouslyforyardsofground,hummocksofearth,ditches.

g.h.q.hadbeenshockedbythedisasterontheleftandthefailureofallthebighopestheyhadheldforabreak-throughonbothsidesofthegermanpositions.rumorscametousthatthecommander-in-chiefhaddecidedtorestrictfutureoperationstominoractionsforstrengtheningthelineandtoabandonthegreatoffensive.itwasbelievedbyofficersimetthatsirhenryrawlinsonwasarguing,persuading,infavorofcontinuedassaultsonthegrandscale.

whateverdivisionofopinionexistedinthehighcommandidonotknow;itwasvisibletoallofusthatforsomedaystherewereuncertaintyofdirection,hesitation,conflictingorders.onjuly7ththe17thdivision,undergeneralpilcher,attackedcontalmaison,andawholebattalionoftheprussianguardhurriedupfromvalenciennesand,thrownontothebattlefieldwithoutmapsorguidance,walkedintothebarragewhichcoveredtheadvanceofourmenandwerealmostannihilated.butalthoughsomebodiesofourmenenteredcontalmaison,inanattackwhichiwasabletosee,theyweresmashedoutofitagainbystormsoffirefollowedbymassesofmenwhopouredoutfrommametzwood.thewelshwereattackingmametzwood.

theywerehandled,asmarbotsaidofhismeninanapoleonicbattle,“liketurnips.”battalioncommandersreceivedordersindirectconflictwithoneanother.bodiesofwelshmenwereadvanced,andthenretired,andlefttolienakedlywithoutcover,underdreadfulfire.the17thdivision,undergeneralpilcher,didnotattackattheexpectedtime.therewasnoco-ordinationofdivisions;noknowledgeamongbattalionofficersofthestrategyortacticsofabattleinwhichtheirmenwereinvolved.

“goodnessknowswhat'shappening,”saidanofficerimetnearmametz.hehadbeenwaitingallnightandhalfadaywithabodyoftroopswhohadexpectedtogoforward,andwerestillhangingaboutunderharassingfire.

onjuly9thcontalmaisonwastaken.isawthatattackveryclearly,soclearlythaticouldalmostcountthebricksintheoldchateausetinalittlewood,andsawtheleft-handtowerknockedoffbythedirecthitofafifteen-inchshell.atfouro'clockintheafternoonourgunsconcentratedonthevillage,andunderthecoverofthatfireourmenadvancedonthreesidesofit,hemmeditin,andcaptureditwiththegarrisonofthe122dbavarianregiment,whohadsufferedtheagoniesofhellinsideitsruins.nowourmenstayedintheruins,andthistimegermanshellssmashedintothechateauandthecottagesandleftnothingbutrubbishheapsofbrickthroughwhichafewdayslateriwentwalkingwiththesmellofdeathinmynostrils.ourmenwerenowbeingshelledinthatplace.

beyondlaboisselle,ontheleftofthealbert-bapaumeroad,therehadbeenavillagecalledovillers.itwasnolongerthere.ourgunshasremovedeverytraceofit,exceptasitlayinheapsofpoundedbrick.thegermanshadanetworkoftrenchesaboutit,andintheirditchesandtheirdugoutstheyfoughtlikewolves.our12thdivisionwasorderedtodrivethemout—adivisionofenglishcountytroops,includingthesussex,essex,bedfords,andmiddlesex—andthosecountryboysofoursfoughttheirwayamongcommunicationtrenches,burrowedintotunnels,crouchedbelowhummocksofearthandbrick,andwithbombsandbayonetsandbrokenrifles,andbouldersofstone,andgermanstick-bombs,andanyweaponthatwouldkill,gainedyardbyyardoverthedeadbodiesoftheenemy,orbythecaptureofsmallbatchesofcorneredmen,untilafterseventeendaysofthisonehundredandfortymenofthe3rdprussianguard,thelastoftheirgarrison,withoutfoodorwater,raisedasignalofsurrender,andcameoutwiththeirhandsup.ovillerswasashambles,inafightofprimitiveearth-menlikehumanbeasts.yetourmenwerenotbeast-like.theycameoutfromthoseplaces—iftheyhadthelucktocomeout—apparentlyunchanged,withoutanymarkofthebeastonthem,andwhentheycleansedthemselvesofmudandfilth,boiledtheliceoutoftheirshirts,andassembledinavillagestreetbehindthelines,theywhistled,laughed,gossiped,asthoughnothinghadhappenedtotheirsouls—thoughsomethinghadreallyhappened,asnowweknow.

itwasnotuntiljuly14ththatourhighcommandorderedanothergeneralattackafterthelocalfightingwhichhadbeeninprogresssincethefirstdayofbattle.ourfield-batteries,andsomeofour“heavies,”hadmovedforwardtoplaceslikemontaubanandcontalmaison—wheregermanshellscamesearchingforthemalldaylong—andnewdivisionshadbeenbroughtuptorelievesomeofthemenwhohadbeenfightingsohardandsolong.itwastobeanattackonthesecondgermanlineofdefenseontheridgesbythevillageofbazentinlegrandandbazentinlepetittolonguevalontherightanddelvillewood.iwentupinthenighttoseethebombardmentandthebeginningofthebattleandtheswirlofitsbackwash,andiremembernowthedarknessofvillagesbehindthelinesthroughwhichourcarscrawled,untilwereachedtheedgeofthebattlefieldsandsawtheskyrentbyincessantflamesofgun-fire,whileredtonguesofflamesleapedupfromburningvillages.longuevalwasonfire,andthetwobazentins,andanotherbeltoflandinfrance,sobeautifultosee,evenasihadseenitfirstbetweenthesand-bagsofourparapets,wasbeingdeliveredtothecharcoal-burners.

ihavedescribedthatnightsceneelsewhere,inallitsdeviltry,butonepicturewhichipassedonthewaytothebattlefieldcouldnotthenbetold.yetitwassignificantofthementalityofourhighcommand,aswasafterwardpointedoutderisivelybysixtevonarnim.itprovedthestrangeunreasoningoptimismwhichstilllingeredinthebreastsofold-fashionedgeneralsinspiteofwhathadhappenedontheleftonthefirstdayofjuly,andtheirstudyoftrenchmaps,andtheirknowledgeofgermanmachine-guns.byanoldmill-housecalledthemoulinvivier,outsidethevillageofmeaulte,weremassesofcavalry—indiancavalryanddragoons—drawnupdenselytoleaveanarrowpassagewayforfield-gunsandhorse-transportmovingthroughthevillage,whichwasinutterdarkness.theindianssatlikestatuesontheirhorses,motionless,deadsilent.nowandagaintherewasajangleofbits.hereandthereabritishsoldierlitacigaretteandforasecondthelittleflameofhismatchrevealedabronzedfaceorglintedonsteelhelmets.

cavalry!...soevennowtherewasaseriouspurposebehindthejokeofenglishsoldierswhohadgoneforwardonthefirstday,shouting,“thiswaytothegap!”andintheconversationofsomeofthosewhoactuallydidridethroughbazentinthatday.

atrooportwomadetheirwayoverthecrateredgroundandskirteddelvillewood;thedragoonguardschargedamachine-guninacornfield,andkilledthegunners.germansroundedupbythemclungtotheirstirrupleatherscrying:“pity!pity!”theindiansloweredtheirlances,buttookprisonerstoshowtheirchivalry.butitwasnothingmorethanabeaugeste.itwasasfutileandabsurdasdonquixote'schargeofthewindmill.theywerebroughttoadeadhaltbythenatureofthegroundandmachine-gunfirewhichkilledtheirhorses,andlayoutthatnightwithgermanshellssearchingfortheirbodies.

oneofthemostdisappointedmeninthearmywasongeneralhaldane'sstaff.hewasanoldcavalryofficer,andthismajoroftheold,oldschool(belonginginspirittothetimeofcharleslever)wasexcitedbythethoughtthattherewastobeacavalryadventure.hewasoneofthosewhosworethatifhehadhischancehewould“rideintotheblue.”itwasthechancehewantedandhenursedhiswaytoitbydelicateattentionstogeneralhaldane.thegeneral'sbedwasnotsocomfortableashis.hechangedplaces.heevenwentsofarastoputabunchofflowersonthegeneral'stableinhisdugout.

“youseemveryattentivetome,major,”saidthegeneral,smellingarat.

thenthemajorblurtedouthisdesire.couldheleadasquadronrounddelvillewood?couldhetakethatrideintotheblue?hewouldgivehissoultodoit.

“getonwithyourjob,”saidgeneralhaldane.

thatrideintothebluedidnotencouragethecavalrytothebeliefthattheywouldbeofrealvalueinawarfareoftrenchlinesandbarbedwire,butforalongtimelatertheywerekeptmovingbackwardandforwardbetweentheedgeofthebattlefieldsandthebackareas,tothegreatincumbranceoftheroads,untiltheywere“guyed”bytheinfantry,andirritable,sotheirofficerstoldme,tothevergeofmutiny.theirirritabilitywascuredbydismountingthemforaturninthetrenches,andicameacrossthehouseholdcavalryingbytheconistonsteps,thissideofthiepval,andcursingtheirspade-work.

inthisbookiwillnottellagainthenarrativeofthat,fightinginthesummerandautumnof1916,whichihavewrittenwithmanydetailsofeachday'ssceneinmycollecteddespatchescalledthebattlesofthesomme.thereislittlethaticanaddtothoseword-pictureswhichiwrotedaybyday,afterhauntingexperiencesamidtheruinofthosefields,exceptasumming-upoftheireffectuponthementalityofourmen,anduponthegermanswhowereinthesame“blood-bath,”astheycalledit,andacloseranalysisofthedirectionandmechanismofourmilitarymachine.

lookingbackuponthosebattlesinthelightofknowledgegainedintheyearsthatfollowed,itseemsclearthatourhighcommandwastooprodigalinitsexpenditureoflifeinsmallsectionalbattles,andthatthearmycorpsanddivisionalstaffshadnotestablishedanefficientsystemofcommunicationwiththefightingunitsundertheircontrol.itseemedtoanoutsiderlikemyselfthatanumberofseparatebattleswerebeingfoughtwithoutreferencetooneanotherindifferentpartsofthefield.itseemedasthoughourgenerals,afterconferringwithoneanotherovertelephones,said,“allright,tellso-and-sotohaveagoatthiepval,”or,“to-daywewillsendsuch-and-suchadivisiontocapturedelvillewood,”or,“wemustgetthatlineoftrenchesoutsidebazentin.”ordersweredrawnuponthebasisofthatdecisionandpasseddowntobrigades,whoreadthemastheirsentenceofdeath,andobeyedwithorwithoutprotest,andsentthreeorfourbattalionstoassaultaplacewhichwascoveredbygermanbatteriesroundanarcoftwentymiles,readytoopenoutatempestoffiredirectlyarocketrosefromtheirinfantry,andtotearupthewoodsandearthinthatneighborhoodifourmengainedground.ifthewholebattle-linemovedforwardthegermanfirewouldhavebeendispersed,butintheseseparateattacksonplacesliketroneswoodanddelvillewood,andlateronhighwood,itwasavastconcentrationofexplosiveswhichplowedupourmen.

soitwasthatdelvillewoodwascapturedandlostseveraltimesandbecame“devil's”woodtomenwholaythereunderthecrashandfuryofmassedgun-fireuntilawretchedremnantofwhathadbeenagloriousbrigadeofyouthcrawledoutstrickenandbleedingwhenrelievedbyanotherbrigadeorderedtotaketheirturninthatdevil'scaldron,ortorecaptureitwhengermanbombing-partiesandmachine-gunnershadfollowedinthewakeoffire,andhadcrouchedagainamongthefallentrees,andintheshell-cratersandditches,withourdeadandtheirdeadtokeepthemcompany.indelvillewoodthesouthafricanbrigadeofthe9thdivisionwascuttopieces,andisawthesurvivorscomeoutwithfewofficerstoleadthem.

introneswood,inbernafaywood,inmametzwood,therehadbeengreatslaughterofenglishtroopsandwelsh.the18thdivisionandthe38thsufferedhorribly.indelvillewoodmanybattalionswereslashedtopiecesbeforethesesouthafricans.andafterthatcamehighwood...allthatwasleftofhighwoodintheautumnof1916wasathinrowofbranchlesstrees,butinjulyandaugusttherewerestillgladesunderheavyfoliage,untilthebrancheswereloppedoffandtheleavesscatteredbyourincessantfire.itwasanimportantposition,vitalfortheenemy'sdefense,andourattackontherightflankofthepozieresridge,abovebazentinanddelvillewood,givingonthereverseslopeafineobservationoftheenemy'slinesabovemartinpuichandcourcelletteawaytobapaume.forthatreasonthegermanswereorderedtoholditatallcosts,andmanygermanbatterieshadregisteredonittoblastourmenoutiftheygainedafootholdonoursideoftheslopeortheirs.

sohighwoodbecameanotherhell,onadayofgreatbattle—september14,1916—whenforthefirsttimetankswereused,demoralizingtheenemyincertainplaces,thoughtheyweretoofewinnumbertostrikeaparalyzingblow.thelondonersgainedpartofhighwoodatfrightfulcostandthenwereblownoutofit.otherdivisionsfollowedthemandfoundthewoodstuffedwithmachine-gunswhichtheyhadtocapturethroughhurricanesofbulletsbeforetheycrouchedincratersamiddeadgermansanddeadenglish,andthenwereblownoutlikethelondoners,undershell-fire,inwhichnohumanlifecouldstayforlong.

the7thdivisionwascutupthere.the33ddivisionlostsixthousandmeninanadvanceagainstuncutwireinthewood,whichtheyweretoldwasalreadycaptured.

hundredsofmenwerevomitingfromtheeffectofgas-shells,chokingandblinded.behind,thetransportwagonsandhorsesweresmashedtobits.

thedivisionalstaffswereoftenignorantofwhatwashappeningtothefighting-menwhentheattackwaslaunched.lightsignals,rockets,heliographing,wereofsmallavailthroughthedust—andsmoke-clouds.forwardobservingofficerscrouchingbehindparapets,asioftensawthem,andsometimesstoodwiththem,watchedfiresburning,redrocketsandgreen,gustsofflame,andburstingshells,andweredoubtfulwhattomakeofitall.telephonewirestrailedacrossthegroundformiles,werecutintoshortlengthsbyshrapnelandhighexplosive.accidentshappenedaspartoftheinevitableblundersofwar.itwasallavasttangleandcomplexityofstrife.

onjuly17thistoodinatentbyastaff-officerwhowasdirectingagroupofheavygunssupportingthe3ddivision.hewastired,asicouldseebytheblacklinesunderhiseyesandtightlydrawnlips.onacamp-tableinfrontofhim,uponwhichheleanedhiselbows,therewasatelephoneapparatus,andthelittlebellkeptringingaswetalked.nowandthenashellburstinthefieldoutsidethetent,andheraisedhisheadandsaid:“theykeepcrumpingabouthere.hopetheywon'ttearthistenttoribbons....thatsoundslikeagas-shell.”

thenheturnedtothetelephoneagainandlistenedtosomevoicespeaking.

“yes,icanhearyou.yes,goon.'ourmenseenleavinghighwood.'yes.'shelledbyourartillery.'areyousureofthat?isay,areyousuretheywereourmen?anothermessage.well,carryon.'meningonroadfromhighwoodsoutheasttolongueval.'yes,i'vegotthat.'theyareourmenandnotboches.'oh,hell!...getofftheline.getofftheline,can'tyou?...'ourmenandnotboches.'yes,ihavethat.'heavilyshelledbyourguns.'”

thestaff-officertappedonthetablewithalead-pencilatattoo,whilehisforeheadpuckered.thenhespokeintothetelephoneagain.

“areyouthere,'heavies'?...well,don'tdisturbthosefellowsforhalfanhour.afterthatiwillgiveyouneworders.tryandconfirmiftheyareourmen.”

herangoffandturnedtome.

“that'sthetrouble.looksasifwehadbeenpoundingourownmenlikehell.somedamnfoolreports'boches.'givesthereferencenumber.asksforthe'heavies'.thensomeotherfellowsays:'notboches.forgod'ssakeceasefire!'howisonetotell?”

icouldnotanswerthatquestion,butihatedtheideaofourmensentforwardtocapturearoadoratrenchorawoodandthen“pounded”byourguns.theyhadenoughpoundingfromtheenemy'sguns.thereseemedamissinglinkinthesystemsomewhere.probablyitwasquiteinevitable.

overandoveragainthewoundedsworetogodthattheyhadbeenshelledbyourownguns.thelondonerssaidsofromhighwood.theaustralianssaidsofrommouquetfarm.thescotssaidsofromlongueval!theysaid:“whythehelldowegetmurderedbybritishgunners?what'sthegoodoffightingifwe'reslaughteredbyourownside?”

insomecasestheyweremistaken.itwasenfiladefirefromgermanbatteries.butoftenithappenedaccordingtothewayofthattelephoneconversationinthetentbybronfayfarm.

thedifferencebetweenbritishsoldiersandgermansoldierscrawlingovershell-cratersorcrouchingbelowthebanksofasunkenroadwasnomorethanthedifferencebetweentwotribesofants.ourflyingscouts,howeverlowtheyflew,riskingthearchiesandmachine-gunbullets,oftenmistookkhakiforfieldgray,andcamebackwithfalsereportswhichledtotragedy.