Book Extract

Epehy: Hindenburg Line (Battleground Europe) by Bill Mitchinson

By mid-September 1918, the 58th Division had fought some very hard engagements to get through and beyond Peiziere. German resistance in front of the Hindenburg Line remained severe and all ground won in the approaches to Catelet Copse and Ossus Wood was fiercely contested. On 21 September an attack by the 2/10 and 12/London towards Limerick and Kildare Posts, was brought to a bloody end by German machine-gunners. A simultaneous attack by 19 Brigade to their north against Meath Post and the ground immediately north of Limerick Post, also failed. The 5/Scottish Rifles tried again in the evening of 21 September, managing to secure and hang on to Meath Post. The 1/Wiltshire of 110 Brigade had captured the post three days earlier but had been forced to abandon it when troops on the flanks failed to keep up. The failure of the initial attack by 19 Brigade prompted one officer to observe that ‘the young drafts appeared to have lost their mastery over the rifle’. The troops who attacked the northern end of Gloster Road were ‘mercilessly mown down’ and at the end of the day the road was ‘choked with dead’.

The Queen Victoria’s Rifles were ordered to reopen the attack on Kildare Post. In view of the fact that the enemy had the advantage of higher ground, the battalion petitioned Brigade that the operation should be done at night. Brigade HQ sanctioned the request and while the QVR attacked Kildare Post from the west, the divisional Pioneers (4/Suffolk) attacked north from Catelet Copse. Under a creeping barrage the two battalions attacked and captured the heavily defended posts. The enemy fled, abandoning many weapons, rations and packs. At mid-day on 22 September, and using thistles as camouflage to creep within 50 yards of the post, the Germans launched a counter-attack against the Queen Victoria’s. A fierce bombing engagement followed until the enemy was driven off. Another German attack by about 50 men from the 2nd Guards Division came down Sprint Road under the cover of its substantial bank. The Germans penetrated Dados Lane and Dados Loop, but carrying parties of the Rangers brought up more bombs for the Queen Vics and the enemy was forced back. Sergeant Hart and Rifleman Rossi were both awarded Military Medals for their bravery when coping with the German bombers. The 2/Worcester had made a converging attack on Limerick Post earlier that morning. Slipping and stumbling on the wet dew, the troops rushed forward to discover the Germans had abandoned the post.