13/11/16 Dull damp day. During the early hours of this morning our artillery preparation has become of extreme intensity. It was rolling out in a veritable tornado. One wonders how it is possible for anything, human or otherwise, is able to survive such a hurricane of fire and iron. At 5.45 am we attacked from the SCHWABENREDOUBT to a point about 1000 yards north of SERRE. The attack at the latter place failed, but BEAUMOMT HAMEL and ST-PIERRE DIVION were both taken and more than 2,200 prisoners have already been reported as captured, another report says south of the ANCRE the attack was entirely successful. North of the ANCRE an attack was generally successful up to about (k.35 central) over 2,500 prisoners taken. Am not feeling up to the mark at present and yesterday I had a return of last years toothache, which caused me a good deal of pain prior to falling asleep last night. Am still persevering with the language of the French and have amassed more than 1800 words, which I have learned off by heart, have only been able however to do this dint of much perseverance and unrelaxing efforts. ------------------------------------------------------- Other War news on this day in 1916: Western Front Battle of the Ancre: British capture St. Pierre Divion (south of Ancre) and Beaumont Hamel (north of Ancre) and nearly 4,000 prisoners. Fourth phase of Battle of the Somme begins. Eastern Front German advance south of Torzburg, Roter Turm Passes continued: capture of Candeshti (south of Torzburg Pass) and Bumbeshti (Jiu Valley). Southern Front Serbs advance on Monastir, masking Bulgar-German positions near Tapavci (15 miles east-south-east of Monastir). Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres Cairo bombed; little damage done. Political, etc. Appeal of Cardinal Mercier to civilised world against Belgian deportations by Germans. ------------------------------------------------------- The Battle of the Ancre 13–18 November: was the final large British attack of the Battle of the Somme in 1916, before winter. After the Battle of Flers–Courcelette on 22 September, the Anglo-French armies tried to press their advantage with several smaller attacks in quick succession, rather than pause to regroup and give the German armies time to recover. The night of 12/13 November 1916 was quiet, then near dawn a mist formed and cut visibility to nil. At 6:45 a.m. a hurricane bombardment began on the German front line and a mine went off in the crater left over from the mine of 1 July in the Hawthorn Redoubt. Around Serre the 52nd Division began the defence of the village on 13 November which lasted for several days. The 52nd Division had detected British digging in no-mans-land, despite the fog and a patrol reported the British approach. At the beginning of the attack, the confusion caused by mist allowed the British to get into the first two trenches north of Serre, which were eventually recaptured. After the quiet night the 23rd Division troops from Infantry Regiment 62 at Beaumont Hamel, stood to at dawn in the fog and were surprised by the arrival of the post, which reduced tension; sentries then reported many footfalls in no mans land. The north flank was devastated by the mine explosion and the front line was simultaneously deluged by shrapnel and mortar fire. The German troops followed the drill for meeting an attack, by each throwing a grenade as they lined the parapet, as machine-gunners fired into no-mans-land. The British arrived at intervals in scattered groups, many smoking with their rifles slung. ------------------------------------------------------- Picture:Ancre Battlefield Nov 1916
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 19:05:20 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015