The Welsh at War: Through Mud to Victory: Third Ypres and the 1918 Offensives

By Steven John

Welsh at War From Mons to Loos and the Gallipoli Tragedy is the culmination of twelve years of painstaking research by the author into the the Welsh men and infantry units who fought in the Great War.These units included the four regular regiments the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, South Wales Borderers Welsh Regiment and Welsh Guards as well as the Territorial Monmouthshire Regiment, the Yeomanry regiments, the Denbighshire Hussars, Pembroke Yeomanry, Montgomeryshire Yeomanry, Glamorgan Yeomanry and Welsh Horse Yeomanry and their amalgamation into service battalions for the regular regiments during 1917.Welsh troops fought with great courage in every theater of the war the Western Front, Aden, China, Gallipoli, Egypt, India, Italy, Salonika and in Palestine and as well as the casualties who were suffered during these campaigns, many men gained recognition for acts of gallantry.The book covers all of the major actions and incidents in which each of the Welsh infantry regiments took part from the opening of the war in 1914 until the end of 1915, as well as stories of Welsh airmen, Welshmen shot at dawn, Welsh rugby players who fell, Welsh gallantry winners and the Welshmen who died in non-Welsh units, such as the Dominion forces and other units of the British Armed Forces.While chronicling a history of the war through the events and battles that Welshmen took part in, the stories of individual casualties are included throughout, together with many compelling photographs of the men and their last resting places.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: May 30, 2018
• ISBN: 9781526700377

Steven John

Steven John and his wife, an elementary school teacher, live in Los Angeles by way of Washington D.C. and New York, respectively. He splits his time between many things, most of which involve words. Three A.M. is his first novel.

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Introduction

By the end of July 1917 preparations for the forthcoming Third Battle of Ypres, or Passchendaele, had been finalized and the main assaulting troops were in position. The Welsh troops, who had taken part in heavy fighting on the Somme and at Arras over the preceding twelve months, had suffered terrible losses and were now reinforced by fresh conscripts.

Welsh troops had performed well, especially at Mametz Wood and at Delville Wood during the Somme offensives where some ground had been gained from the Germans; the Battle of Arras had been largely a failure as the Germans had withdrawn to the strongly-defended Hindenburg Line, which had proved to be almost unbreakable.

Passchendaele would see another attempt by Sir Douglas Haig’s troops to break the stalemate, but they would become bogged down as the wet Flanders winter drew in. However, a further assault later in the year, to the south, against the Hindenburg Line at Cambrai, would give the allies fresh hope that 1918 may see victory come to pass.

On 6 April 1917 the Americans declared war on Germany and begun to draft tens of thousands of men into their armed forces. The United States navy was the first to respond, sending a battleship group to Scapa Flow to join the Royal Navy, while by the spring of 1918 American soldiers who had begun landing in France were beginning to take up positions in the front line.

The early months of 1918 would, sadly, see the disbandment of some Welsh battalions but the surplus men were, in the main, posted to other Welsh units as reinforcements.

Unanticipated by both sides, 1918 would turn out to be the most deadly year of the entire war. The Germans would attempt three separate offensives that would fatally deplete their strength, and the addition of the Americans to the allied cause would swing the tide of war in favour of the allies by the summer.

The campaigns in Mesopotamia, Palestine, Salonika and Italy were also finally brought to a close during this year.

Welsh troops played a part in all the coming battles and would play an especially large part in the final actions of the war, cumulatively known as the Hundred Days Offensive.

This final book of three volumes of the Welsh at War tells of the role played by Welsh troops throughout this final period of the conflict, from the part played by the 38th (Welsh) Division during the opening day of the Passchendaele offensive through to the role played by Welsh units during the Hundred Days Offensive, in the hope that Welsh people will once again remember the glorious part played by our ancestors during some of the other periods of the war, not just at Mametz Wood and Pilckem Ridge.

Each volume of the Welsh at War complements the others and details the story of the Welsh involvement during the Great War.

Chapter 1

The Third Battle of Ypres

(i) The Battle of Pilckem Ridge

During the days leading up to the opening of the Third Battle of Ypres, the Welsh battalions belonging to the 38th (Welsh) Division kept themselves busy familiarizing the men with the battleground that lay in front of them by carrying out numerous patrols.

However, the Germans did not just sit quietly and take these intrusions lightly. They also sent trench raids out at night, causing much damage at times, and throughout the summer of 1917 had been firing retaliatory salvoes of high explosive and a new type of mustard gas shells at the Welshmen’s trenches in reply to any incursions.

Second Lieutenant Evan James, a former resident of Toronto who had been commissioned from the Canadian Infantry into the 15th Welsh. His family originally hailed from Merthyr Tydfil.

One such incident occurred at 5.00 pm on 27 July 1917, when two platoons from the 15th Welsh were sent out to check the German positions. They found no Germans in the front line, but their support and reserve positions were strongly held, the patrols met with strong opposition and were forced to withdraw hurriedly. The Germans retaliated to this by hitting the frontline trenches with an artillery barrage, mixing up some gas shells into the bombardment for good effect, and the battalion suffered heavy casualties as a result, with the war diary showing figures of 3 officers and 21 men killed, 3 officers and 61 men wounded, and a further 13 men missing. The dead officers were the experienced Captain Thomas William David of Cardiff, Second Lieutenant Victor George Roberts of Llanelli, and Second Lieutenant Evan James, a Canadian of Welsh ancestry. All three officers are buried at Bard Cottage Cemetery.

Also hit hard by the German barrage was the 15th RWF. The battalion had moved into the Canal Bank line on 23 July, relieving the 16th RWF, and had immediately begun to work on getting ready for the forthcoming offensive. The battalion had suffered a particularly severe gas shelling on 24 July and on the following day had carried out their own trench raid, resulting in Second Lieutenant Lloyd and fifteen men being captured by the Germans. The battalion had also sent a patrol out alongside the 15th Welsh on 27 July but after encountering strong opposition was forced to withdraw after suffering forty-one men killed and Major Evan Davies wounded and taken prisoner.

Major Evan Davies was the son of Evan and Mary Davies of Arnant, Llwyncelyn, Ceredigion. The family also had a home in Newport, Monmouthshire. He had been commissioned into the 15th RWF early in the war and had fought at Mametz Wood in July 1916, being in command of B Company. He was reported as being wounded during the trench raid on 27 July and had to be left behind when his men withdrew, dying in German hands the following day. He is buried in Dragoon Camp Cemetery.

Major Evan Davies, 15th RWF, of Llwyncelyn, near Aberayron.

The following day was just as bad for the Welshmen on the Canal Bank. A number of low-flying German planes machine-gunned the tightly-packed trenches during the day, then at ‘Stand Down’ that evening the German artillery again opened onto the Welsh trenches and various flares of all colours were seen in the sky, prompting a response from the divisional artillery. The 15th Welsh suffered 19 men killed during the day; the 19th Welsh 4 killed; the 13th and 16th RWF 3 men killed apiece.

Again on the following day, 30 July, more deaths were suffered on the Canal Bank. The 13th RWF 2 men killed; the 16th RWF 4 men killed; the 10th SWB 1 man killed; and the Welsh Guards, just to the north of the division, 6 men killed. The 10th, 13th, 15th and 19th Welsh lost one man apiece killed during the day.

Among the casualties of the Welsh Guards was Private William John Williams (276). He was born at Mardy, Glamorgan on 13 April 1887, the son of Samuel and Margaret Williams. The family moved to Llanddowror, his father’s native village, where they lived at the Old Cross Inn. He joined the Grenadier Guards on 30 September 1914 and was transferred to the Welsh Guards on its formation on 26 February 1915. He was drafted to France in August 1915 and took part in the Battle of Loos on 25 September 1915, being wounded at Loos early in 1916 and returning home for a brief period. Williams was killed in action just prior to the Battle of Pilckem Ridge on 30 July 1917, when a German shell struck the Welsh Guards’ positions near Poelcapelle. He was 30 years old and was buried at Duhallow ADS Cemetery, Belgium, alongside two of his comrades.

The time for the battle had come. On 30 July Major General C.G. Blackader sent a message to his troops:

The grave of Guardsman William John Williams of Llanddowror at Duhallow ADS Cemetery.

Tomorrow the 38th (Welsh) Division will have the honour of being in the front line of what will be the big battle of the war.

On the deeds of each individual of the division depends whether it shall be said that the 38th (Welsh) Division took Pilckem and Langemarck and upheld gloriously the honour of Wales and the British empire.

The honour can be obtained by hard fighting and self-sacrifice on the part of each one of us.

Gwell angau na chywilydd.

On the night of 30/31 July 1917 the troops were moved into their assembly positions and had concentrated by 2.54 am on 31 July. To their left was the Guards Division; to their right the 51st (Highland) Division.

The general dispositions of the 38th (Welsh) Division were 114 Brigade on the right and 113 Brigade on the left with 115 Brigade in reserve.

Annotated trench map showing the objective lines and the direction of the 38th (Welsh) Division’s assault.

The tasks allotted to the first two brigades were to capture the village of Pilckem and Pilckem Ridge up to halfway between the River Steenbeek and Pilckem village. On this line being attained, 115 Brigade was to push through two battalions to capture the Steenbeek and its crossings, a total advance of almost 2 miles.

On the trench maps given to the commanding officers of the battalions, the objectives were marked with a series of coloured lines: blue, black and green. Zero hour was at 3.50 am and the division moved in to attack, with the 10th Welsh on the right, the 13th Welsh on the right centre, the 13th RWF on the left centre and the 16th RWF on the left.

The blue line was captured with but little opposition, most of the enemy encountered being found in dugouts in Caesar Support. These were taken prisoner, with the exception of those who showed fight, who were killed by the bayonet or shot.

The advance to the black line, just east of Pilckem village, was carried out by the 15th Welsh on the right centre and the 14th Welsh on the right, in the direction of the lines on the map.

In 113 Brigade, who had fewer trenches to encounter, this attack was carried out by the remaining two companies in both the 13th RWF and 16th RWF. Cancer Avenue and Telegraph House gave trouble to the 16th RWF, while the 13th RWF fought their way through Pilckem village.

On Pilckem Ridge the Welshmen encountered pill-boxes on the battlefield for the first time. Farms and buildings had been fortified by shuttering the inside of the walls with wood and strengthening the gap with iron bars before pouring concrete into the voids. To the casual observer these houses looked normal but were immensely strong and when fortified by a machine-gun team made a formidable target for the advancing infantry.

One such pill-box was at Corner House, which held up the 13th RWF. Several attempts had been made to outflank it, but its flanks were protected and each effort resulted in the men being shot down. The attacking troops had jumped into shell-holes to shelter from the heavy machine-gun fire and regroup when one man, Corporal James Llewellyn Davies (31161), rose up and rushed the machine-gun team on the flank of the pill-box, bayoneting one man and forcing the other to surrender. He then gathered some bombers together and attacked Corner House, killing its garrison before moving forward again. Davies had by now been wounded, but crawled forward to shoot a sniper before himself dying on the battlefield. This very gallant man was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross:

Corporal James Llewellyn Davies VC (31161), 13th RWF, of Ogmore Vale.

For most conspicuous bravery during an attack on the enemy’s line, this non-commissioned officer pushed through our own barrage and single-handed attacked a machine gun emplacement, after several men had been killed in attempting to take it. He bayoneted one of the machine gun crew and brought in another man, together with the captured gun. Cpl Davies, although wounded, then led a bombing party to the assault of a defended house, and killed a sniper who was harassing his platoon. This gallant non-commissioned officer has since died of wounds received during the attack. (London Gazette, 6 September 1917.)

Davies, the son of John and Martha Davies of Ogmore Vale and the husband of Elizabeth Ann Davies, is buried in Canada Farm Cemetery. His medals are displayed at the Royal Welsh Fusiliers Museum, Caernarfon.

Opposition made in this advance to the black line was far more severe than that made in the advance on the blue line. The centres of resistance were Marsouin Farm and Stray Farm on the right and the village of Pilckem on the left. In all these places there were several concrete machine-gun emplacements, but the men of the 15th Welsh managed to outflank the positions at Marsouin Farm and Candle Trench and compelled the garrisons to surrender, taking a machine gun and more than fifty men prisoner. Nonetheless, the black line was captured up to time and was immediately consolidated and held.

The grave of Corporal James Llewellyn Davies VC (31161), at Canada Farm Cemetery.

The advance to the green line was carried out by half battalions of the 15th and 14th Welsh on the right and by the 15th RWF on the left. The village of Pilckem was in the hands of 113 Brigade and 14th and 15th Welsh who had joined them there.

Considerable trouble was then met from the direction of Rudolphe Farm, which was in the area allotted to the 51st (Highland) Division. That division was too far to the right and consequently a platoon of the 15th Welsh under Lieutenant Francis Henry Jordan was detailed to attack the farm. This was successfully accomplished and the enemy, with the exception of some fifteen men who surrendered, ran away or were shot.

Their blood now up, the 15th Welsh drove on but slightly lost their way, missing the fortified Jolie Farm and attacking Stray Farm; but the 51st (Highland) Division had now caught them up and cleared Jolie Farm, safeguarding the flank of the 15th Welsh who again moved on, capturing a house containing a telephone exchange and seventy Germans.

The area of Iron Cross was strongly held and the 14th Welsh suffered heavily in taking it. They killed 20 of the enemy garrison and took 40 prisoners and 3 machine guns from the area. This done, the 14th Welsh pushed on to positions north-east of Iron Cross (just off the map), where an enemy dressing station with sixteen wounded men and a further twenty-two fit men was captured. Between them, the 14th and 15th Welsh had gained their objectives and the blue line was achieved.

The 15th RWF meanwhile had commenced their advance from the blue line at the correct time, but on nearing Battery Copse were met with such heavy fire that in a short time only a few officers were left and the artillery barrage began to move away from the men. The men, however, struggled forward and established themselves on Iron Cross Ridge. It was during this attack on the Iron Cross Ridge that Ellis Humphrey Evans, the Welsh poet Hedd Wyn, was killed.

Private Ellis Humphrey Evans (61117), the son of Evan and Mary Evans of Trawsfynydd, Merioneth. One of the war poets, Evans wrote his poetry under the name ‘Hedd Wyn’.

During the period that 113 and 114 brigades were attacking up to Iron Cross Ridge, the 11th SWB and the 17th RWF, both from 115 Brigade, were gradually working their way forward until they were close up to Iron Cross Ridge from which they launched their attack on the Steenbeek. The 11th SWB had been held up by a pill-box that had caused them many casualties, so Sergeant Ivor Rees (1032) moved his platoon forward and rushed the pill-box, killing or capturing all the men inside. Rees was awarded the Victoria Cross for his gallantry:

Hedd Wyn’s grave in Artillery Wood Cemetery.

For most conspicuous bravery in attack. A hostile machine gun opened fire at close range, inflicting many casualties. Leading his platoon forward by short rushes, Sjt. Rees gradually worked his way round the right flank to the rear of the gun position. When he was about twenty yards from the machine gun he rushed forward towards the team, shot one, and bayoneted another. He then bombed the large concrete emplacement, killing five and capturing thirty prisoners, of whom two were officers, in addition to an undamaged machine gun. (London Gazette, 14 September 1917.)

This attack was successfully carried out in the face of considerable opposition from concrete machine-gun emplacements that had been constructed within houses. All were, however, outflanked by the infantry and the garrisons were forced to surrender. Finally the Steenbeek was reached and parties from the 38th (Welsh) Division pushed across to cover and hold its crossings.

The losses among the units of the 38th (Welsh) Division were, however, severe and consequently the general officer commanding 115 Brigade ordered one company of the 16th Welsh to reinforce the 17th RWF and one company of the 10th SWB to reinforce the 11th SWB. A platoon of the 16th Welsh, under Sergeant Thomas Alfred Brown (24436), crossed the Steenbeek and captured a German post, holding it against counter-attack for three days. Brown was recommended for the Victoria Cross but was killed on 5 August and the award was never made. The four survivors of his platoon received the Military Medal.

Sergeant Ivor Rees VC, of Felinfoel.

From 2.00 pm onwards, Germans were seen to be massing for a counter-attack and this attack developed at 3.10 pm. One company of the 11th SWB that had occupied Au Bon Gite was forced to retire to the western side of the Steenbeek as a result. The remainder of the line repelled the attack, largely helped by an artillery and machine-gun barrage. Rifle-fire was also successfully employed in halting some 100 Germans who had got through the barrage.

During the course of the afternoon the weather, which had been dull and cloudy, changed for the worse; rain began to fall steadily and continued more or less for the next three days. This rendered operations extremely difficult owing to the slippery and muddy nature of the ground, which clogged the movement of the infantry and helped make the Third Battle of Ypres the hell for which it was to be remembered.

The morning of 1 August 1917 was quiet as far as hostilities were concerned, but in the course of the afternoon the enemy again attempted a counter-attack; this was broken up by artillery and machine-gun fire before it had time to develop.

The heavy shelling, the state of the weather and the many casualties experienced by 115 Brigade necessitated its relief.

Lieutenant Clifford Jones, 15th RWF, the only son of Reverend Daniel Jones and Mrs Elizabeth Ann Jones of Bodlondeb, Whitland. He was an Honours Graduate of Wales and Oxford, and was commissioned into the 15th RWF. He was killed at Pilckem Ridge on 2 August 1917 aged 25 and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial.

On the night of 1/2 August 113 Brigade took over the front line. From this date right through to 6 August there was little more action; the weather during this period was so bad that operations became impossible and so the 38th (Welsh) Division clung on to its hard-won ground. On 6 August the division was relieved in the line by the 20th (Light) Division and withdrew to Proven where it rested and recommenced training.

Casualties suffered by the 38th (Welsh) Division had been heavy during their successful capture of Pilckem Ridge. From the night of 19/20 July, when the division went back into the line, until 6 August when it was relieved, more than 800 men had been killed or died of wounds. Among the dead were approximately 25 members of the Divisional MGC, 4 members of the RAMC, 21 men of the RE, 31 men of the RFA, 1 officer and 47 men of the 13th RWF, 2 officers and 42 men of the 14th RWF, 7 officers and 103 men of the 15th RWF, 1 officer and 70 men of the 16th RWF, 7 officers and 72 men of the 17th RWF, 31 men of the 10th SWB, 5 officers and 91 men of the 11th SWB, 2 officers and 58 men of the 10th Welsh, 37 men of the 13th Welsh, 4 officers and 64 men of the 14th Welsh, 2 officers and 68 men of the 15th Welsh, 27 men of the 16th Welsh and 9 men of the 19th Welsh.

One interesting story is that of the 20-year-old Second Lieutenant John Humphrey England of the 14th Welsh. England was the son of Thomas and Florence Minnie England of Llanishen. He was killed during the attack on Pilckem Ridge on 31 July and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial. In an episode of a TV programme called Finding the Fallen that was aired in 2005, archaeologists working on the Ypres battlefield discovered a watch that was inscribed ‘England’ on the back. Researchers on the programme excitedly linked the watch to Lieutenant England and traced relatives of his in Cardiff while the watch was undergoing forensic examination. After dedicating a whole very interesting programme to Lieutenant England’s death, the ending was somewhat muted by the discovery that the engraving actually stated ‘Made in England’ and was not his watch after all!

The Welsh Guards, to the north, had moved into their section of front on 29 July and held the line named Baboon Support. On the night of 30/31 July the Welsh Guards sent forward the Prince of Wales and No. 4 companies to take up their battle stations.

Second Lieutenant John Humphrey England, 14th Welsh, the subject of a much-debated television documentary in 2005.

The plan for the Welsh Guards was for the first assaulting wave to comprise two platoons of No. 2 Company on the right and two platoons of No. 3 on the left, followed by two platoons of No. 4 who would mop up any Germans who had been missed. The other half of No. 2 and 3 companies made up the second assaulting wave, while the whole of the Prince of Wales’s Company formed the third wave, followed by the remaining half of No. 4 Company, who would mop up.

The first objectives of Baboon Trench and Support had been taken without incident during the night as they were unoccupied, so only two objectives remained. The blue line, the far side of Wood 15, became the first objective, while the second and third waves were to advance on the black line, where the 2nd Scots Guards and the 4th Grenadier Guards would pass through to advance on the green line.

The ground attacked by the Welsh Guards on 31 July 1917.

Zero hour was 3.50 am but was delayed for the Welsh Guards by thirty-eight minutes to allow the French to move up into support, so it was not until 4.24 am that the supporting artillery laid down a barrage of shrapnel and high explosive as well as Livens projectiles, drums filled with burning oil.

Sergeant Robert James Bye (939) of Penrhiwceiber being presented with the Victoria Cross by King George V.

The Welsh Guards moved out of their assembly trenches and advanced to within 45 metres of the barrage, which crept forward at a rate of just under 25 metres a minute and met no opposition until reaching Wood 15, where machine-gun crews in two concrete blockhouses opened fire on them. The Guardsmen outflanked the position but were still being slowed by them, so Sergeant Robert James Bye (939), who had crawled forward, rushed one blockhouse and forced his way into it from the rear before bombing out and shooting the Germans inside.

The first objective was now secure and the second and third waves went through the blue line to advance on the second objective where another concrete blockhouse in Wood 16 stopped the advance. Sergeant Bye again moved forward under heavy fire and bombed out the second blockhouse, allowing the advance to continue, and by the end of the day had personally killed or captured over seventy Germans. Bye, from Penrhiwceiber, was awarded the third Welsh Victoria Cross for his gallantry that day:

For most conspicuous bravery. Sjt. Bye displayed the utmost courage and devotion to duty during an attack on the enemy’s position. Seeing that the leading waves were being troubled by two enemy blockhouses, he, on his own initiative, rushed at one of them and put the garrison out of action. He then rejoined his company and went forward to the assault of the second objective. When the troops had gone forward to the attack on the third objective, a party was detailed to clear up a line of blockhouses which had been passed. Sjt. Bye volunteered to take charge of this party, accomplished his object, and took many prisoners. He subsequently advanced to the third objective, capturing a number of prisoners, thus rendering invaluable assistance to the assaulting companies. He displayed throughout the most remarkable initiative. (London Gazette, 4 September 1917.)

Bye was not the only hero among the Welsh Guards during the day, but he was the most conspicuous. Second Lieutenant Reginald Rees Jones of Barry was awarded the DSO for rushing a pill-box and killing the machine-gun crew inside while his men dealt with the survivors who fled out of the rear; while Private William Hughes (1209) of Glasinfryn, near Bangor cleared another pill-box before leading the assault into Wood 16 that cleared the enemy from it, enabling the French on the left to continue their advance. He was awarded the DCM for his actions. Second Lieutenant Jones was seriously wounded later in the day and died on 25 August, having been in a coma since his wounding and not regaining consciousness.

Second Lieutenant Reginald Rees Jones was the son of John B. and Elizabeth Jones of 86 High Street, Barry. He was a very well-known man in the town, having been the assistant scoutmaster for the 1st Barry Company, Boy Scouts and was a former Barry schoolboy, a member of the Bethel Baptist Church and assistant secretary of the Sunday school. He was shot in the head soon after his gallant charge on the pill-box and fell into a coma. His men carried him from the battlefield and he lay in hospital until his death on 25 August, aged just 21. He is buried in Mendinghem Military Cemetery. Lord Harlech wrote to his parents to congratulate them on their son’s bravery and also in condolence for their sad loss.

While Lieutenant Jones was being stretchered away from the battlefield, the battle continued. A German strongpoint at Colonel’s Farm slowed the French and the flank attack by the Scots Guards, but by 2.45 pm they had taken the farm and levelled the line. A mixed company of the 4th Grenadier Guards and Scots Guards carried material forward to the Grenadier Guards HQ in Scots House and to the Welsh Guards HQ in Sauvage House, and the Royal Engineers began wiring the green line while the Welsh Guards completed the capture of the line in front of Wood 15.

By 3.00 pm the Welsh Guards had been relieved by the 1st Grenadier Guards, who took over the blue line, and the Welsh Guards moved back to Elverdinghe. The battalion had lost 29 men killed, Second Lieutenants Reginald Rees Jones, Rice, Arthur and 106 men wounded. The Guards Division had succeeded in advancing to the banks of the Steenbeek and had captured 750 prisoners, 30 machine guns and a howitzer.

Between the Guards and the 38th (Welsh) Divisions, the Pilckem Ridge had been successfully captured without delay. During the day more than 6,000 prisoners had been taken; but this was only the beginning of what would turn out to be one of the most drawn-out battles of the war.

Slightly to the south the 19th (Western) Division, recovered from its efforts during the Battle of Messines, was attached to the Second Army, which had been ordered to carry out a slight advance to cover the right flank of the Fifth Army. The left division of the Second Army, the 41st Division, was to attack astride the Ypres to Comines Canal. To the right was the 19th Division, with the 37th Division on its right.

The plan was for the Second Army to launch a diversionary attack to create the impression of a serious attempt to capture the Warneton to Zandvoorde Line, but in fact the objectives were for a limited offensive of just over half a mile in depth. As part of the plan, X Corps (41st Division) and IX Corps (19th and 37th divisions) were to capture the blue line, which included Hollebeke and along the 19th Divisional front ran from Bee Farm on the south to just east of Forret on the north. Two battalions of 63 Brigade, 37th Division, on the right flank of the 19th Division, would be attached to the latter for the first phase of the operations; they were to capture the blue line from July to Bee Farms. In the second phase of the attack, the two battalions of 63 Brigade were to come again under the orders of their own division, and the 19th Division was to attack later from south of July Farm.

The 19th Division allotted the attack to 56 Brigade, which was to attack on a three-battalion frontage: the 7th King’s Own on the right, 7th East Lancs in the centre and 7th North Lancs on the left were the assaulting battalions, with the 7th South Lancs in support.

At zero hour, 3.50 am, the three battalions attacked the series of strongpoints making up the main German defensive line, behind a creeping artillery barrage. The 9th RWF, together with two sections of the 58th Trench Mortar Battery, had been ordered to take up positions east and west of Oosttaverne, in trenches named Oronto Trench and Mauve Line, and take over the support battalion of 56 Brigade once the attack had begun.

Following the attack were the 81st and 82nd Field Companies RE and two companies of the 5th SWB, who had been detailed to consolidate the positions gained and to provide communications.

On the right the 7th King’s Own secured all their objectives, including the once formidable strongpoint at Junction Buildings. Tiny and Spider Farms were captured, while 63 Brigade, on their right, also took all their objectives and formed a defensive flank. At 4.10 am the right company of the King’s Own sent back reports that they were on the blue line in touch with the Middlesex, but a large gap had opened out during their advance and the company was surrounded and cut off. Captain Irwin of the 9th RWF went forward to see the situation for himself and upon his return led the 9th RWF to counter-attack the Germans who had surrounded the company of the King’s Own and beat the Germans back, restoring the situation and gaining touch with the 37th Division.

The Royal Engineers and the 5th SWB then moved forward and constructed and wired a strongpoint at Tiny Farm. Over 200 metres of new communication trench were also dug forward to a depth of 5ft; however, the 5th SWB were forced to retire after coming under heavy artillery fire, losing Lieutenant Lionel Victor Kent and eleven men killed.

By 4.30 am the objectives had all been attained, although the gap in the line still existed. An hour later the Germans began moving forward and at around 6.40 am counter-attacked the junction of the 19th and 37th divisions, retaking Rifle Farm. The British counter-attacked themselves at 7.50 am but advanced into another German counter-attack from Fly Buildings. Heavy fighting continued throughout the morning but the line was, in the main, maintained, except on the right.

The 19th Division was then ordered to co-operate with 63 Brigade in a fresh attack on Rifle Farm at 8.00 pm. The 9th RWF was ordered to send a platoon forward along the road that formed the southern divisional boundary until touch was gained on the objective with 63 Brigade and all front-line troops were ordered to get up to the blue line. The attack was successful until the Germans counter-attacked again and drove the platoon of the 9th RWF back to their original line.

During the day’s fighting the 9th RWF lost one officer – Second Lieutenant Sidney George Davies of Rhos-on-Sea – and twenty-five men killed. Among them was Private Gwilym Trevor Jones (13367) of Llanelli, who had been awarded the Military Medal twice during the war. Lieutenant Davies was an English Congregational minister at Stony Stratford and Whaddon, Bucks prior to enlisting.

The troops held on to their positions throughout the night, while the possibility of launching a dawn attack on 1 August was debated at Corps HQ, but it was sensibly decided to stand fast and consolidate the ground gained.

Throughout 1 August this consolidation continued. The 9th Welsh moved forward to relieve the 9th RWF and the remainder of the day was spent in further consolidating the line and connecting Tiny Farm with the jumping-off trench by a line of fortified posts. The main problem for the Welshmen during the day was the continuous danger of sniper fire. The 9th Welsh lost three officers – Captain Thomas William Percy Herbert, Second Lieutenants Osmond Whitlock Nicholl-Carne and Meurig Owen – and eight men killed during the relief and during the work that followed during the day.

Captain Thomas William Percy Herbert was born on 16 April 1889, the son of Thomas and Florence Jeannette Herbert of Brynderwen, Caerleon. He was educated at the West Monmouthshire School, Pontypool and was commissioned into the Welsh Regiment on 20 December 1915, a month after marrying Elsie May Parry. He joined the 9th Welsh on the Somme in August 1916. Herbert had led his company forward to an advanced outpost to relieve a company of the 9th RWF in front of Oosttaverne and was shot in the head by a sniper during the relief. Lieutenant St. Helier Evans cradled Herbert in his arms as he died and wrote about the incident in a letter back to his own mother that told of the horror of the occasion:

Captain Thomas William Percy Herbert, 9th Welsh.

At 7 pm Herbert detailed me to bring up the Company while he went ahead to see what and where we were to do and be... I waved to Herbert as he set off and we wished each other luck. There was a look on his face that warned me that we should not meet again this side... The world is crazy. Has this, my generation, been born to suffer this crucifixion? And why? Do we deserve such a short run? More by luck than by skill we stumble into what passes for the front line, it is merely a few shallow holes joined up by a