CHAPTERXIV

chapterxiv

meanwhile,at6p.m.ontheeveningofthefirstdayofbattle,theguardsarrivedatnoeux-les-mines.asisawthemmarchup,splendidintheirheightandstrengthandgloryofyouth,ilookedoutfortheofficersiknew,yethopedishouldnotseethem—thatmanwhohadgivenafarewelltouchtotheflowersinthegardenofourbillet,thatotheronewhoknewhewouldbewounded,thosetwoyoungbrotherswhohadplayedcricketonasunnyafternoon.ididnotseethem,butsawonlycolumnsofmen,staringgrimlyaheadofthem,withstrange,unspeakablethoughtsbehindtheirmasklikefaces.

itwasnotuntilthemorningofthe26ththatthecommander-in-chief“placedthematthedisposalofthegeneralofficercommandingfirstarmy,”anditwasontheafternoonofmonday,the27th,thattheywereorderedtoattack.

bythattimewehadlostfosse8,onebrigadeofthe9thscottishdivisionhavingbeenflungbacktoitsowntrenchesafterdesperatefighting,atfrightfulcost,afterthecaptureofthehohenzollernredoubtbythe26thbrigadeofthatdivision.tothenorthofthemthe7thdivisionwasalsosufferinghorriblelossesafterthecaptureofthequarries,nearhulluch,andthevillageofhaisnes,whichafterwardwaslost.thecommandingofficersofbothdivisions,generalcapperofthe7th,andgeneralthesigerofthe9th,werekilledastheyreconnoiteredtheground,andwoundedmenwerepouringdowntothecasualtyclearingstationsiftheyhadthelucktogetsofar.someofthemhadnotthatluck,butlayfornearlytwodaysbeforetheywererescuedbythestretcher-bearersfromqualitystreetandphilosophe.

itwasbadallalongtheline.thewholeplanhadgoneastrayfromthebeginning.withanoptimismwhichwassplendidinfighting-menandcostlyinthehighcommand,ourmenhadattackedpositionsofenormousstrength—heldbyanenemyinthefullheightofhispower—withoutsufficienttroopsinreservetofollowupandsupporttheinitialattack,toconsolidatetheground,andresistinevitablecounter-attacks.whatreservesthecommander-in-chiefhadheheld“inhisownhand”toolongandtoofarback.

theguardswentinwhentheenemywasreorganizedtomeetthem.the28thdivision,afterwardinsupport,wastoolatetobeadecisivefactor.

idonotblamelordfrench.ihavenorighttoblamehim,asiamnotasoldiernoramilitaryexpert.hedidhisbest,withthehighestmotives.theblundershemadewereduetoignoranceofmodernbattles.manyothergeneralsmademanyotherblunders,andourmenpaidwiththeirlives.ourhighcommandhadtolearnbymistakes,byghastlymistakes,repeatedoften,untiltheybecamevisibletothemilitarymindandwerepaidforagainbytheslaughterofbritishyouth.onedoesnotblame.awriting-man,whowasanobserverandrecorder,likemyself,doesnotsitinjudgment.hehasnorighttojudge.hemerelycriesout,“ogod!...ogod!”inremembranceofallthatagonyandthatwasteofsplendidboyswholovedlife,anddied.

onsunday,asihavetold,thesituationwasfullofdanger.thescotsofthe15thdivision,weakenedbymanylossesandexhaustedbytheirlongfatigue,hadbeenforcedtoabandontheimportantpositionofpuits14—amine-shafthalfamilenorthofhill70,linkedupindefensewiththeenemy'sredoubtonthenortheastsideofhill70.thegermanshadbeengiventimetobringuptheirreserves,toreorganizetheirbrokenlines,andtogettheirbatteriesintoactionagain.

therewasaconsultationofanxiousbrigadiersinlooswhennomancouldfindsafeshelterowingtotheheavyshellingwhichnowravagedamongthehouses.rationswererunningshort,andrainfellthroughtherooflessruins,andofficersandmenshiveredinwetclothes.deadbodiesblownintobits,headlesstrunks,poolsofblood,madeaghastlymessintheroadwaysandthehouses.badlywoundedmenwereeddownintothecellars,andlaythereinthefilthoffriday'sfighting.theheadquartersofoneofthelondonbrigadeshadputupinarooflessbarn,butwereshelledout,andsettleddownonsomeheapsofbrickintheopen.itwasascoldasdeathinthenight,andnofirecouldbelighted,andironrationsweretheonlyfood,untiltwochaplains,“r.c.”andchurchofengland(nodifferenceofdogmathen),cameupasvolunteersinaperilousadventure,withbottlesofhotsoupinmackintoshes.theybroughtatouchofhumanwarmthtothebrigadestaff,madethosehoursofthenightmoreendurable,butthemenfartherforwardhadnosuchluck.theywerefamishingandsoaked,inacoldhellwhereshellstosseduptheearthaboutthemandspatteredthemwiththebloodandfleshoftheircomrades.

onmondaymorningthesituationwasstillmorecritical,allalongtheline,andtheguardswereordereduptoattackhill70,towhichonlyafewscotswereclingingonthenearslopes.the6thcavalrybrigadedismounted—nomoredreamsofexploitingessandgallopingroundlens—weresentintolooswithorderstoholdthevillageatallcost,withthemenofthe15thdivision,whohadbeenleftthere.

thelondonerswerestillholdingontothechalk-pitsouthofloos,undermurderousfire.

itwasabadpositionforthetroopssentintoactionatthatstage.theresultofthebattleonseptember25thhadbeentocreateasalientthrustlikeawedgeintothegermanpositionandenfiladedbytheirguns.thesidesofthesalientransharplyback—fromhulluchinthenorth,pastthechalk-quarriestogivenchy,andinthesouthfromthelowerslopesofhill70pastthedoublecrassiertogrenay.theordersgiventotheguardsweretostraightenoutthissalientonthenorthbycapturingthewholeofhill70,puits14,tothenorthofit,andthechalk-pitstillfarthernorth.

itwasthe2dbrigadeofguards,includinggrenadiers,welshandscotsguards,whichwastoleadtheassault,whilethe1stbrigadeontheleftmaintainedaholdingpositionandthe3dbrigadewasinsupport,immediatelybehind.

assoonastheguardsstartedtoattacktheyweremetbyaheavystormofgas-shells.thischeckedthemforatime,assmoke-helmets—theoldfashionedthingsofflannelwhichwereafterwardchangedforthemaskswithnozzles—hadtobeservedout,andalreadymenwerechokingandgaspinginthepoisonousfumes.amongthemwasthecolonelofthegrenadiers,whosecommandwastakenoverbythemajor.soonthemenadvancedagain,lookinglikedevils,as,inartilleryformation(smallseparategroups),theygropedtheirwaythroughthepoisonedclouds.shrapnelandhighexplosivesburstoverthemandamongthem,andmanymenfellastheycamewithincloserangeoftheenemy'spositionsrunningfromhill70northwardtothechalk-pit.

theirishguards,supportedbythecoldstreamers,advanceddownthevalleybeyondloosandgainedtheloweredgeofboishugo,nearthechalk-pit,whilethescotsguardsassaultedpuits14andthebuildinginitsgroupofhousesknownasthekeep.anotherbodyofguards,includinggrenadiersandwelsh,attackedatthesametimethelowerslopesofhill70.

puits14itselfwaswonbyapartyofscotsguards,ledbyanofficernamedcaptaincuthbert,whichengagedinhand-to-handfighting,routingouttheenemyfromthehouses.somecompaniesofthegrenadierscametothesupportoftheircomradesinthescotsguards,butsufferedheavylossesthemselves.aplatoonunderayounglieutenantnamedayresritchiereachedthepuits,and,stormingtheirwayintothekeep,knockedoutamachine-gun,mountedonthesecondfloor,byadesperatebombingattack.theofficerheldoninamostdauntlesswaytotheposition,untilalmosteverymanwaseitherkilledorwounded,unabletoreceivesupport,owingtotheenfiladefireofthegermanmachine-guns.

nighthadnowcomeon,theskylightenedbytheburstingofshellsandflares,andterribleinitstumultofbattle.someofthecoldstreamershadgainedpossessionofthechalk-pit,whichtheywereorganizingintoastrongdefensiveposition,andvariouscompaniesoftheguardsdivisions,afterheroicassaultsuponhill70,wheretheywereshatteredbythefirewhichmetthemonthecrestfromtheenemy'sredoubtonthenortheastside,haddugthemselvesintothelowerslopes.

therewasastrangevisitorthatdayattheheadquartersoftheguardsdivision,wherelordcavanwasdirectingoperations.ayoungofficercameinandsaid,quitecalmly:“sir,ihavetoreportthatmybattalionhasbeencuttopieces.wehavebeenutterlydestroyed.”

lordcavanquestionedhim,andthensentforanotherofficer.“lookafterthatyoungman,”hesaid,quietly.“heismad.itisacaseofshell-shock.”

reportscamethroughofamysteriousofficergoingtheroundofthebatteries,sayingthatthegermanshadbrokenthroughandthattheyhadbetterretire.twobatteriesdidactuallymoveaway.

anotherunknownofficercalledout,“retire!retire!”untilhewasshotthroughthehead.“germanspies!”saidsomeofourofficersandmen,buttheintelligencebranchsaid,“notspies...madmen...poordevils!”

beforethedawncamethecoldstreamersmadeanotherdesperateattempttoattackandholdpuits14,butthepositionwastoodeadlyevenfortheirheightofvalor,andalthoughsomemenpushedonintothisragingfire,thesurvivorshadtofallbacktothewoods,wheretheystrengthenedtheirdefensiveworks.

onthefollowingdaythepositionwasthesame,thesufferingsofourmenbeingstillfurtherincreasedbyheavyshellingfrom8-inchhowitzers.colonelegertonofthecoldstreamguardsandhisadjutantwerekilledinthechalk-pit.

itwasnowseenbytheheadquartersstaffoftheguardsdivisionthatpuits14wasuntenable,owingtoitsenfiladingbyheavyartillery,andtheorderwasgivenforaretirementtothechalk-pit,whichwasaplaceofsanctuaryowingtothewonderfulworkdonethroughoutthenighttostrengthenitsnaturaldefensivefeaturesbysand—bagsandbarbedwire,inspiteofmachine-gunswhichrakeditfromtheneighboringwoods.

theretirementwasdoneasthoughthemenwereonparade,slowly,andinperfectorder,acrossthefieldoffire,eachmanbearinghimself,sotheirofficerstoldme,asthoughatthetroopingofthecolors,untilnowoneandthenanotherfellinahuddledheap.itwasanastonishingtributetothestrengthoftraditionamongtroops.tosafeguardthehonorofafamousnamethesemenshowedsuchdignityinthepresenceofdeaththateventheenemymusthavebeenmovedtoadmiration.

buttheyhadfailed,aftersufferingheavylosses,andthecommander-in-chiefhadtocalluponthefrenchforhelp,realizingthatwithoutstrongassistancethesalientmadebythatbattleoflooswouldbeadeath-trap.thefrenchtentharmyhadfailed,too,atvimy,thusfailingtogivethebritishtroopsprotectionontheirrightflank.

“onrepresentingthistogeneraljoffre,”wrotesirjohnfrench,“hewaskindenoughtoaskthecommanderofthenortherngroupoffrencharmiestorenderusassistance.generalfochmetthosedemandsinthesamefriendlyspiritwhichhehasalwaysdisplayedthroughoutthecourseofthewholecampaign,andexpressedhisreadinesstogivemeallthesupporthecould.onthemorningofthe28thwediscussedthesituation,andthegeneralagreedtosendthe9thfrenchcorpstotakeoverthegroundoccupiedbyus,extendingfromthefrenchleftuptoandincludingthatportionofhill70whichwewereholding,andalsothevillageofloos.thisreliefwascommencedonseptember30th,andcompletedonthetwofollowingnights.”

soendedthebattleofloos,exceptforaviolentcounter—attackdeliveredonoctober8thallalongthelinefromfosse8onthenorthtotherightofthefrench9thcorpsonthesouth,withtwenty-eightbattalionsinthefirstlineofassault.itwasprecededbyastupendousbombardmentwhichinflictedheavycasualtiesuponour1stdivisionintheneighborhoodofthechalk-pit,andupontheguardsholdingthehohenzollernredoubtnearhulluch.onceagainthosebrigades,whichhadbeensorelytried,hadtocrouchunderafuryoffire,untilthelivingweresurroundedbydead,halfburiedorcarvedupintochunksoffleshinthechaosofbrokentrenches.thegermanshadtheirownshambles,morefrightful,weweretold,thanours,andthousandsofdeadlayinfrontofourlineswhenthetideoftheirattackebbedbackandwavesoflivingmenwerebrokenbythefireofourfield-guns,rifles,andmachine-guns.sirjohnfrench'sstaffestimatedthenumberofgermandeadasfromeighttoninethousand.itwasimpossibletomakeanyaccuratesuminthatarithmeticofslaughter,andalwaystheenemy'slosseswereeratedbecauseofthedreadfulneedofbalancingaccountsinnew-madecorpsesinthatdebitandcreditofwar'sbookkeeping.

whathadwegainedbygreatsacrificesoflife?notlens,norlille,norevenhill70(forourlinehadtobewithdrawnfromthosebloodyslopeswhereourmenleftmanyoftheirdead),butanothersharp-edgedsalientenfiladedbygermangunsfortwoyearsmore,andafootholdononeslagheapofthedoublecrassier,whereourmenlived,iftheycould,afewyardsfromgermansontheother;andthatpartofthehohenzollernredoubtwhichbecameanotherhoogewhereenglishyouthwasblownupbymines,buriedbytrench-mortars,condemnedtoalivingdeathinlousycavesdugintothechalk.anotherv-shapedsalient,narrowerthanthatofypres,moredismal,andasdeadly,amongthepit-headsandtheblackdusthillsandthebrokenmine-shaftsofthatfoulcountrybeyondloos.

thebattlewhichhadbeenbegunwithsuchhighhopesendedinghastlyfailurebyourselvesandbythefrench.menwhocamebackfromitspokeinwhispersofitsgeneralshipandstaffwork,andsaidthingswhichweredangeroustospeakaloud,cursingtheirfateasfighting-men,askingofgodaswellasofmortalswhythecourageofthesoldierstheyledshouldbethrownawayinsuchamuckofslaughter,laughingwithdespairingmirthattheoptimismoftheirleaders,whohadbeenluredonbyastrange,false,terriblebeliefingermanweakness,andlookingaheadatunendingvistasofsuchmassacreasthiswhichwouldleadonlytoothersalients,afterdesperateandfutileendeavor.