RJP: 62 Div: 100 Days Latest
edit 11 Apr 2010 http://penhey.name/omiwxb62Div16.htm
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16. The Last Hundred Days.
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16.1 Background
The ‘Last Hundred Days’
name is commonly given to the last three months of the war, during which the
allies made their final, uninterrupted advance to the Armistice line of
11.11.18. For the BEF it can be
considered to have begun with the opening of the Battle of Amiens on 8.8.18. 62
Division became involved in the advance when, after its participation in Second Marne, it
returned to the BEF, joined VI Corps of 3rd
Army and took its place in the line in the Ervillers
- Sapignies
sector on 25.8.18.
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16.2 The Advance to Vaulx-Vraucourt
On 24.8.18 orders were received from VI Corps that the
advance on Vaulx-Vraucourt was to be continued on 25.8.18. that the relief of 3 Div was
postponed, and that 62 Div was to relieve two brigades of 2 Div instead.
The next day, 25.8.18, 62 Div attacked on a 4 km front between Ervillers and Sapignies eastwards
towards Mory.
Mory was taken and the line Mory
– Favreuil
reached. That evening heavy enemy counter-attacks were beaten off and 37 Div
(in IV Corps
and on the right of 62 Div) took Favreuil. On 26.8.18
the front was advanced about 1 km to a line through Beugnâtre.
On 27.8.18 little progress was made but on 28.8.18 the division pushed forward
to a line roughly following the Beugnatre – Écoust(-Saint-Mein)
road. During the day Maj Gen Sir Robert Whigham KCB DSO took over command of 62 Div from Maj Gen W.P.Braithwaite CB, who
left to command IX
Corps. The following day, 29.8.18, little progress was made despite hard
fighting. On 30.8.18 Vraucourt and Vaulx-Vraucourt were attacked with the assistance of eight Mk V tanks.
This attack continued with varying fortune through 31.8.18 and the next day,
but by the end of 1.9.18 Vraucourt and Vaulx-Vraucourt had been cleared and the 62 Div line ran
north to south just east of Vaulx-Vraucourt. (These
operations took place on the southern edge of the Battle of the Scarpe 1918 - 21.8.18 to 31.8.18 - though just outside the
area of the battle as defined by the Battles Nomenclature Committee).
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16.3 The Drocourt - Quéant Switch
This was the central of the three
branches of the Hindenburg Line at its northern end – see paragraph 16.5.1
below. The westernmost branch of the Hindenburg Line from Quéant
to Arras had been broken
through on 28 to 29.8.18 during the
The 62 Div operations lay
immediately to the south of the main battle, Quéant
being 5 km to the north-north-east of Morchies.
The VI Corps orders reaching 62
Div on 1.9.18 were that the division would attack Morchies
on 2.9.18, while 3 Div of VI Corps on the left would
attack Lagnicourt and 5 Div of IV Corps on the right would
attack Beugny.
Eight Mk IV tanks would
be available to support 62 Div. If Morchies was
taken, 62 Div was to pass on to Beaumetz,
supported by six Whippet
tanks from VI Corps Reserve. In the event 62 Div met strong resistance on
2.9.18 and had only limited success. They pushed the line forward by 1 km and
in the early hours of 3.9.18 were relieved by 2 Div. The division retired to
the Ervillers – Béhagnies
– Sapignies – Courcelles-le-Comte
area, where they went into XI Corps Support.
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16.4 The Battle of Havrincourt 1918 (12.9.18)
On 8.9.18 the GOC VI Corps
came to 62 Div HQ to inform its GOC that it was to make the attack on Havrincourt
on 11.9.18. The village would not, in the course of events, have fallen within
the 62 Div front, but in view of the division’s previous performance there (on
20.11.17) the Corps boundaries had been adjusted to give them the opportunity
to repeat their success. In support of their operation 2 Div of VI Corps would
attack on the Canal
du Nord on their left and 37 Div of IV Corps would take Trescault
on their right. No tanks would be available but substantial artillery and
machine gun barrages would be laid down in support. Later, the attack was
postponed until 12.9.18. On 10.9.18 the division moved forward from the VI
Corps support area and bivouacked in Havrincourt and Vélu
Woods. On 11.9.18 reconnaissances were made of the
assembly positions, routes taped and communications cables laid, and during the
night of 11 to 12.9.18 attacking units moved up into their assembly position.
Zero hour was 5.45 am on 12.9.18.
Shortly before this the enemy
commenced a counter-preparation bombardment, but at zero hour British artillery
laid down a creeping barrage and the advance began. By noon the Hindenburg Main
Line had been breached, and the village taken and cleared of the enemy. By
early evening the line lay just beyond the village to its north and east and
extended to the divisional boundaries. At 7 pm the enemy opened a violent
bombardment of the village, supported by aerial bombing, and then launched a
counter-attack, which was broken up by artillery fire. The official end of the
battle was at midnight of 12.9.18. The night of 12 to 13.9.18 saw some patrolling
and between 4 am and 7 am on 13.9.18 the enemy again bombarded the village and
a counter-attack followed, during which the enemy entered the village. A
subsequent British counter-attack drove them out again and re-established the
line. On 14.9.18 attacks were made to clear the enemy from the Hindenburg Main
Line between the village and the south divisional boundary and subsequent
counter-attacks were beaten off. 15.9.18 was a quiet day, during which a letter
of congratulation was received from GOC 3rd Army, Gen
Byng, under whom 62 Div had also made its 1917 capture of Havrincourt. During the night of 15 to 16.9.18 62 Div was
relieved by 3 Div and withdrew to the Behagnies – Sapignies area.
16.5 The
16.5.1 Background
The most formidable part of the Hindenburg Line (Siegfried Stellung)
ran from St Quentin,
up the east side of the St Quentin Canal
to Banteux,
where it crossed the canal. From there it swung westward and passed through Havrincourt.
A lesser arm then ran up the east
side of the Canal du Nord (which was dry, since it was incomplete at the
outbreak of the war), while the greater arm crossed the canal and ran up its
west side to Moeuvres, where it turned towards Quéant.
From Quéant
a short branch ran through Bullecourt
and ended at the River Scarpe facing Arras, while a
longer and stronger branch ran northwards past Drocourt
to Lille, where it joined the
defences around the city. In the British nomenclature the Quéant
to
16.5.2
62 Division Operations
On 17.9.18 62 Div received their
orders from VI Corps regarding the next stage of operations. VI Corps were to
capture the Hindenburg Support Line, Ribécourt
and Flesquières and establish a bridgehead across the
St Quentin Canal east of Marcoing. In the first phase
the Guards Div on the left and 3 Div on the right would take the Hindenburg
Support Line and Flesquières, whereupon 2 Div and 62
Div would pass through them and continue eastwards to Marcoing.
On 25.9.18 62 Divisional orders for the attack were issued and brigades began
their planning. At dusk 62 Div moved up to the staging area Beugny
- Frémicourt - Vaulx-Vraucourt.
During the night of 26 to 27.9.18 the division took up their assembly
positions, one brigade on the west side of the Canal Du Nord and the other
immediately south-west of Havrincourt on the east
side of the canal. At 5.20 am on 27.9.18 the 1st and 3rd
Armies attacked with IV, VI, XVII and Canadian Corps on a 21 km front from Gouzeaucourt to Sauchy-Lestrée.
The vital point of the attack was the Canal du Nord near Moeuvres.
On the VI Corps front the Guards Div and 3 Div crossed the canal in the face of
strong machine gun fire. 62 Div started their move forward at 8 am, following
close behind the reserve brigade of 3 Div. There was heavy fighting all day and
by 8.30 pm 3 Div had withdrawn and 62 Div held a line just east of Ribécourt. In the early hours of 28.9.18 attacks were
resumed towards Marcoing and Masnières.
Fierce fighting continued all the day, and by 6 pm Marcoing
had been taken, together with the trenches on the east side of the St Quentin
Canal. On 29.9.18 the attack was renewed with Masnières
and Rumilly as the objectives. By noon Masnières had been captured and cleared, but because of
fierce opposition Rumilly was not taken that day. The
orders for the following day, 30.9.18, were to take Rumilly
and then drive on to Seranvillers and Wambaix. But despite hard fighting Rumilly
did not fall, so the advance beyond was not achieved that day. At 6 am on
1.10.18 3 Div passed through 62 Div and attacked Rumilly,
and on being so relieved 62 Div withdrew to areas around Havrincourt.
That day the C in C, Sir Douglas Haig wrote
to the GOC 62 Div offering his congratulations and thanks to the division, and
the same day a message to the same effect was received from their old GOC Lt
Gen Braithwaite, whose own IX Corps (46 and 32 Divs) had broken through the Hindenburg Line in a spectacular
manner on 29.9.18 at Bellenglise. It is noteworthy that in these operations
VI Corps was advancing along the Hindenburg line in its sector rather than
across it. The battle continued until 5.10.18 but 62 Div took no further part
in it. At the end of the battle the whole of the Hindenburg Line defences along
the front attacked had been taken. This marked the end of the first phase of
the final advance: from now on there were no further carefully prepared enemy
defensive positions to be faced.
16.6.1 Background
From 1 to 17.10.18 62 Div were out
of the line, apparently in VI Corps Reserve, but were following up as the
advance progressed so that by 15.10.18 they were camped around Estourmel.
That day 62 Div HQ received orders to be ready to capture Solesmes
and the high ground to the east of the river Selle on or about 20.10.18. The River Selle at Solesmes was normally
about 6 metres wide and 1.5 metres deep, with a muddy bed and steep banks, but
was at this time swelled by heavy rains. Moreover, a demolished railway bridge
had partially blocked the river and so flooded the area south of the village.
The Selle flows south to north and joins the Escaut or
Phase 1. Take Solesmes and the
adjoining Saint-Python, including the crossing of the River Selle;
Phase 2. Move forward to take the high ground about 2 km
beyond, which overlooks Romeries.
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16.6.2 62 Div
Operations
During the night of 17 to 18.10.18
62 Div began to move forward from Carnières and Boussières
to the front line just west of Solesmes, where it
relieved a Guards brigade. The night of 19 to 20.10.18 saw the divisional RE
companies erecting under fire twelve assault bridges and two pontoon bridges
for artillery, across the swollen river, some upstream and others downstream of
Solesmes/Saint-Python. At the same time the attacking
force moved up to the start line near the villages from billets at Quiévy.
Zero hour for Phase 1 was 2 am on 20.10.18. Because there were French civilians
in the villages, only shrapnel and machine gun fire (from which they could
shelter) were permitted in the creeping barrage. There was fierce street
fighting, but the whole of both Solesmes and
Saint-Python was taken by 7.15 am. Meanwhile, another brigade of 62 Div
assembled at Quiévy and from there moved forward at 4
am. One battalion moved round the left and another round the right of the
village. By this time the rising water had submerged the bridges across the Selle but a crossing was made and by 7 am positions were
taken up on the start line for Phase 2 just east of Solesmes.
A barrage opened at once and the attack on the high ground overlooking Romeries began. The objective was reached by 10 am, contact
was made with the flanking divisions and a defensive front established. After
bombarding the new front line the enemy counter-attacked at 4.15 pm but was
repulsed. Solesmes and Saint- Python were bombarded
during the night of 20 to 21.10.18. On 23.10.18 3 Div passed
through 62 Div, which then withdrew to the Quiévy - Bévillers - Cattenières area for
rest.
16.7 The 3rd Army Plan
On 30.10.18 62 Div HQ received
notice that the advance was to be continued on 4.11.18 and that the objective
lines selected for the 3rd Army’s final thrust were as follows.
1st
Objective Locquignol
- Herbignies - Frasnoy
2nd
Objective Saint-Rémy-Chaussée -
Pont-sur-Sambre - Bavay - Montignies-sur-Roc road
3rd
Objective Avesnes
- Maubeuge - Mons.
VI Corps was to be directed on Maubeuge with 62 Div on the right, Guards Div on the
left and 2 and 3 Divs in Corps Reserve.
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16.8 The Capture of Orsinval, Frasnoy and Gogniaux
During the nights of 2 to 3.11.18
and 3 to 4.11.18 and the day between, 62 Div moved up from its rest area
towards the start line for the advance on 4.11.18. This was a line running
north westwards from the west side of Le Quesnoy.
Zero hour was at 5.30 am on 4.11.18, when 62 Div advanced against light
opposition, leapfrogging its brigades. Orsinval was
taken and by the end of that day the division had progressed 7 km and reached a
north – south line lying between Frasnoy and Gommegnies. Thus the first objective had been reached. On
5.11.18 the advance resumed at 6 am and by 9 am the Bavay to Le Cateau road
bordering the west side of
16.9 The Crossing of the River Sambre and
Capture of Maubeuge
On 7.11.18 orders were received by
GOC 62 Div that, as the enemy were retiring along the whole front, the division
was to push forward to Maubeuge on 8.11.18 and
establish outposts beyond. Zero hour was 6.30 am on 8.11.18 and the start line
the Hargnies to La Longueville
road. By 8 am a north-south line through Vieux-Mesnil
was reached and consolidated in depth. At this point enemy machine gun fire
became intense and artillery was called in to lay down a barrage to assist the
next advance. This started at 2 pm and the Hautmont
to Feignies road was reached by 2.30 pm. The advance
continued that afternoon and through the following night so that next morning,
9.11.18, 62 Div was at the outskirts of Maubeuge. At
6.30 am they reached the villages of Sous-le-Bois, Louvroil and Saint-Lazare, which
together form the southern suburbs of Maubeuge, and
crossed the River Sambre with little opposition. They
entered Maubeuge from the south as the Guards Div were entering it from the west, then set up outposts. The
10.11.18 was an uneventful day except for some desultory shelling of Recquignies,
Rousies and Saint-Lazare.
Early in the morning of 11.11.18 the divisional outpost line of resistance was
advanced to the River Solre (here 2½ km east of Maubeuge and flowing northwards to the River Sambre)
and a picket line was established to the east of the River Solre
with observation posts east of Rousies. A cyclist
patrol was sent out to the line Cerfontaine
- Recquignies without encountering the enemy. Thus the
third and final objective was reached. The Armistice
became effective at 11 am on 11.11.18.
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