Book Extract

About 7 a.m. a Field company was ordered forward to prepare the bridges over the canal along the front of the 8th Brigade for demolition, but they arrived too late to effect their purpose, and the bridges were, unfortunately, left intact, enabling the enemy to pass his troops across. Some time between 8 and 9 o’clock, shells began to fall along the line held by the Middlesex and Royal Fusiliers. About 9 a.m. hostile infantry attacks, supported by heavy artillery fire, began, enemy movement developing from a north-easterly to a south-westerly direction. Gradually all round the salient the enemy’s troops could be seen pressing forward to the attack; and, to the utter astonishment of the British “Tommy,” the Germans advanced in close formation, shoulder to shoulder. Little they knew that they were advancing against troops whose marksmanship was second to none; for soon there was a roar of “rapid” rifle fire, and the machine-guns of the Middlesex and Royal Fusiliers began to tear gaps in the ranks of the intrepid enemy.

Orders to the Middlesex and Royal Fusiliers holding the salient had been to maintain “a stubborn resistance,” and this they proceeded to do, clinging to their positions with great tenacity. At 11 o’clock the line still held, but the 4th Middlesex had appealed for reinforcements, and some of the 2nd Royal Irish were sent up to assist in holding the line of hastily dug trenches, whilst the machine-gunners of the Irish Battalion joined those of the Middlesex, north of the Obourg-Mons road.

The possession of every inch of ground between Obourg and Nimy was stubbornly contested, but about noon the Germans were observed working round in rear of the Middlesex, and the latter were compelled to fall back to the neighbourhood of Point 62; the heavy hostile artillery, machine-gun and rifle fire, opposed only by British rifle fire, had done its work. The Germans were now across the Canal west of Obourg, and had reached the line of the railway. From this point they came on in extended order. Another appeal from the Middlesex for reinforcements brought up the remainder of the 2nd Royal Irish to Point 62, on the left of the former battalion. The Germans continued its heavy shellfire and by sheer weight of numbers the enemy’s infantry was able to work forward, so that about 2 p.m. both the 4th Middlesex and 2nd Royal Irish were driven from Point 62 back on Mons. The machine-guns of both battalions were by now in difficulties; the machine-gun officer of the Middlesex had been wounded.

The main body of the Royal Irish was again forced to retire (about 5 p.m.), and by that time those of the 4th Middlesex Regiment who had remained in the line had been overwhelmed; many of their rifles had been rendered useless, sand having clogged the breaches. The remnants of the 4th Middlesex got away, passing through the Gordons, and continued to Nouvelles.

The casualties were 14 officers and 350 men killed, wounded and missing. Amongst the officers, Major W. H. Abell.