THE 56th DIVISION

Photo, Elliott & Fry.

MAJOR-GENERAL SIR AMYATT HULL, K.C.B.

[Frontispiece

THE 56th DIVISION

(1st LONDON TERRITORIAL DIVISION)

BY MAJOR C. H. DUDLEY WARD

D.S.O., M.C.

WITH A FOREWORD BY GENERAL LORD HORNE OF STIRKOKE, G.C.B., K.C.M.G.

LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W. 1921

All Rights Reserved

TO THE MEMORY

OF

MAJOR-GENERAL SIR CHARLES PATRICK AMYATT HULL, K.C.B.

Born July 3rd, 1865 Died July 24th, 1920

FOREWORD

When day broke on the 28th March, 1918, the 56th London Territorial Division was in position on the southern portion of the Vimy Ridge. At nightfall the division still held its ground, having beaten back three separate assaults delivered in great strength by picked German troops specially trained in the attack and inspired with confidence resulting from the successes of the previous week. Truly a great achievement, and important as great, for the Vimy Ridge covered the city of Arras and the coalfields of Béthune.

Important as this success was held to be at the time, a time of great strain upon the forces of the Empire, it was not till later on, when Ludendorff took us into his confidence, that we learned its full significance. Ludendorff gives us to understand that the failure of the German effort of 28th March constituted the turning-point of the 1918 campaign. That evening Ludendorff recognised the beginning of the end; the German nation lost heart; the moral of the German Army deteriorated rapidly.

I have selected the above—one of the many achievements of the 56th London Territorial Division—to illustrate the stage of efficiency to which the troops of our Territorial Army had attained in war.

I saw much of our Territorial troops in France:

I take this opportunity of paying my tribute of respect and admiration to the Territorial Army as a whole, and the 56th London Division in particular.

This note would not be complete without reference to that fine soldier, the late Major-Gen. Sir Amyatt Hull, whose professional qualities and personal charm gained the respect and affection of all ranks, and who imbued with his own unconquerable spirit the officers and men of the division which he commanded so long, and of which he was so justly proud.

Horne of Stirkoke, General.

CONTENTS

FOREWORD BY GENERAL LORD HORNE OF STIRKOKE, G.C.B., K.C.M.G.

CHAPTER I

FORMATION AND THE ATTACK ON THE GOMMECOURT SALIENT

The Assembly—The Grouping of Units—The Size of a Division—Perfecting the Organisation—General Situation—Falkenhayn’s View—Haig’s Summary—Preparations for the Somme—The Division at Hébuterne—The First Task—Extent of the New Line—The German Positions—Note by Gen. Hull—The Date of Attack—Operation Orders—Artillery and Smoke—Patrol Reports—The Attack—Gen. Hull’s Conclusion—The Battle of Albert, 1916

pp. 1-48

CHAPTER II

THE SOMME

Tanks—Progress on the Somme—The Move to Battle Positions—In Contact with the Enemy—The Battle of Ginchy—The Attack-Haig’s Dispatch—Battle of Flers-Courcelette—Orders to Tanks—The Attack—The Quadrilateral—The Battle of Morval—Battle of the Transloy Ridges—The Division Relieved—Lessons of the Somme—Lieut.-Col. Bayliffe’s Paper—The Bad Conditions—Lord Cavan’s Appreciation—Falkenhayn on Verdun—Hindenburg and Ludendorff

pp. 49-100

CHAPTER III

LAVENTIE-RICHBOURG

Strength of the Division—Raids—Gen. Haking’s Appreciation—Revolution in Russia—Move to the Third Army

pp. 101-113

CHAPTER IV

THE BATTLES OF ARRAS, 1917

The German Retreat, 1917—Plan of Attack—Artillery Control Signals—First Battle of the Scarpe—The Attack—Clearing the Hindenburg Line—The Advance Checked—German Comments—Move to the VI Corps—Third Battle of the Scarpe—Result of the Battle—Minor Actions—British Gains—Q.W.R. Observation—The Artillery

pp. 114-143

CHAPTER V

YPRES

Gen. Sir C. P. A. Hull—General Situation—Opening of the Offensive—Gen. F. A. Dudgeon—Preliminary Difficulties—The Attack—German Pill-box Defence—Result of Ypres Battles

pp. 144-164

CHAPTER VI

CAMBRAI

Organisation of Battalions—Patrol Encounters—The Plan of Attack—Preparations—The Attack—Tadpole Copse—The Attack Held—Warning of a Counter-attack—The Counter-attack—The Story of a Great Fight—Gen. Dudgeon’s Report—The French Troops

pp. 165-208

CHAPTER VII

THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE

American Action—The Enemy Strength—British Strength—German Assembly—British Preparations—Frequent Change of Orders—Imminence of Enemy Attack—Disposition of Troops—Enemy Attack Opens—The Queen’s Westminsters—L.R.B. and 4th Londons—Kensingtons, London Scottish—The Artillery—Enemy Failure—Reports on the Battle—The Machine Gunners

pp. 209-242

CHAPTER VIII

THE ADVANCE TO VICTORY

Allied Defence—South of the Scarpe—Gen. Dudgeon—Raids—Division in Rest Area—August the 8th—Haig’s Plan—Orders for the Advance—The Position—The Battle of Albert—Croisilles—Battle of the Scarpe—Loss of Direction—Bullecourt—The Artillery

pp. 243-280

CHAPTER IX

THE ARMISTICE

The New Position—Battle of the Canal du Nord—German Resistance Broken—Aubigny-au-Bac—The Allied Advance—Reorganisation—Open Fighting—Battle of the Sambre—Demolition of Roads—Intercommunication—The Grand Honnelle—Enemy Confusion—The “Cease Fire”

pp. 281-314

APPENDIXpp. 315-326

INDEXpp. 327-331

Special thanks are due to Messrs. Hutchinson & Co., publishers of My War Memories 1914-1918, by Gen. Ludendorff, and General Headquarters 1914-1916, and Its Critical Decisions, by Gen. von Falkenhayn; also to Messrs. Cassell & Co., publishers of Out of My Life, by Field-Marshal von Hindenburg, for permission to print extracts from these works.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Major-General Sir Amyatt Hull, K.C.B.Frontispiece

FACING PAGE

Gommecourt, July 191646

Inverness Copse and Glencorse Wood, August 1917152

Battery Position, Zouave Wood, Hooge, August 1917164

MAPS

1.The Gommecourt Salient46

2.Ginchy and Morval—The Battles on the 9th, 15th, and 25th September78

3.The Transloy Ridge86

4.The Battles of Arras, 1917134

5.The Battle of Langemarck, 1917158

6.Local Map—Front of the Division at Cambrai, 1917186

7.The Battle of Cambrai196

8.The First Battle of Arras, 1918234

9.The Battles of Albert and the Scarpe, 1918278

10.Battle of the Canal du Nord296

11.General Map310

THE FIFTY-SIXTH DIVISION