Chapter I: Foreword: BY

MAJOR-GENERAL SIR ROBERT FANSHAWE
K.C.B., D.S.O.

The 1st Bucks Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry was trained and modelled on the traditions of the Light Division of Peninsular fame, and served through the War in the 145th Brigade of the 48th South Midland Division. The Battalion went out to the War with that great fighting asset—a strong _esprit de corps_. This they maintained; and whether it was training, “holding the line,” marching, or the attack, I, as their Divisional Commander, felt confident that their task would be thoroughly done, and carried through with the determination, endurance, dash, and with that proper use of initiative for which the Light Division officers and men were noted a hundred years ago. The officers, N.C.O.s, and men could be relied on to act as the occasion required, in carrying out what they knew to be the general plan.

In no case was this confidence misplaced, whether the affair was that of a patrol or post, or for the whole Battalion.

Amongst the officers were many fine leaders of men, none more so than Lieutenant-Colonel Reynolds, who led the Battalion through most of the War. He was backed by many officers imbued with the same spirit and energy.

Amongst the N.C.O.s and men were always many ready ably to second this good leadership, and determined to make the Battalion a name of which their whole county might be proud.

The engagements during my command of the Division which to my mind stand prominently out were first on July 23, 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, when the 48th Division were carrying out an attack to break the German line of defence which linked Pozières to Thiepval, in order to assist in the capture of the former place, and pave the way towards the capture of the latter. The Battalion was in brigade reserve when the battle started. The Brigade Commander had been warned that, if his initial attack did not succeed everywhere, a fresh attack would be made to secure our objective. I well remember my conversation on the telephone during the attack, and being assured that the Battalion would be ready by the time the Artillery said they would be.

The right of the Brigade attack succeeded, but that on the left was checked, and to the Bucks Battalion was given the task, at short notice, of capturing the point, without which the gains on the right of the Brigade could not have been held for long. The success of the attack is well told in these pages. The difficulty of the Battalion’s task is only to be appreciated by those who, in the long war, have seen how seldom a fresh attack of this sort could be organised and carried out successfully by the immediate use of troops in reserve. The attack cost the Battalion a heavy price—Captain E. V. Birchall, the brilliant company commander who led his company in the attack, being mortally wounded.

The second occasion was the capture of Tombois Farm on the night of April 16–17, 1917. The task of the Division was to keep such continual pressure on the enemy opposite, that he should feel that that part of the Hindenburg Line in our front was really being worked up to. The advanced posts of Epéhy—Lempire—Ronssoy in front of his outpost line had been captured, and a footing gained in his outpost line, which was covered by a belt of wire, south of Tombois Farm. The object of the attack on this night was to gain this line of wire and the fortified outposts along it on the rest of our Division front, which was on a very wide one. The operation is accurately described. It was a case where good arrangement, determination to win, and the initiative of those on the spot led to success in spite of all obstacles.

It was said that on this occasion the Army Commander called up the Corps Commander on the telephone, and asked whether the operation would be carried out in such weather. The Corps Commander’s reply showed his confidence in, and knowledge of, the troops employed, when he replied in the affirmative without even asking the Division.

The third occasion was on August 16, 1917, at St. Julien, during the Third Battle of Ypres, when the Battalion and certain battalions of the 145th Brigade completed the capture of St. Julien, and only circumstances over which the Battalion had no control prevented their success being still more complete.

The last occasion was on June 15, 1918, when the Austrians made their great attempt to break our line along the Asiago Plateau. Although, as the history relates, the Battalion was only holding the rear line on that day, yet by its action it enabled the troops fighting in front of this line to carry out their difficult task, showing what confidence they felt in the Bucks Battalion. The initiative with which the Battalion, finding that the right of the 1/4th Oxford & Bucks Battalion was exposed by the line being left unoccupied beyond our own posts, pushed out to close this gap, was of especial value to their side.

During the first few days of November, the same year, the Battalion showed how it could play its part in that last phase of victory, when, after the long and arduous struggle, the enemy finally broke, and the fruits of victory had to be gathered by a vigorous pursuit. Truly has the Battalion played a great and glorious part in this great War.

R. FANSHAWE,
_Major-General_.

_July 1, 1920._

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I
PAGE
FROM MOBILISATION TO PLOEGSTEERT 1

CHAPTER II

HÉBUTERNE 13

CHAPTER III

THE SOMME 24

CHAPTER IV

THE SOMME 36

CHAPTER V

LE SARS—CAPPY 45

CHAPTER VI

THE GERMAN RETIREMENT 54

CHAPTER VII

THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES 69

CHAPTER VIII

THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES—VIMY 83

CHAPTER IX

ITALY 91

CHAPTER X

THE AUSTRIAN ATTACK OF JUNE 15 103

CHAPTER XI

RAIDS 115

CHAPTER XII

THE AUSTRIAN DÉBÂCLE 123

CHAPTER XIII

AFTER THE ARMISTICE—THE END 138

APPENDIX I

OPERATION ORDERS 144

APPENDIX II

ROLLS OF OFFICERS WHO TOOK PART IN THE MAIN ACTIONS OF
1916–1917–1918 163

APPENDIX III

HONOURS AND DECORATIONS GAINED BY OFFICERS OF THE 1ST BUCKS
BATTALION 172

APPENDIX IV

HONOURS AND DECORATIONS GAINED BY WARRANT OFFICERS, N.C.O.’S, AND
MEN OF THE FIRST BUCKS BATTALION WHILE SERVING WITH THE
BATTALION 176

APPENDIX V

ROLL OF OFFICERS WHO SERVED WITH THE 1ST BUCKS BATTALION DURING
THE PERIOD MARCH 1915–DECEMBER 1918 179

APPENDIX VI

NOMINAL ROLL OF WARRANT OFFICERS, N.C.O.’S AND MEN WHO SERVED WITH
THE BATTALION DURING THE PERIOD MARCH 1915–DECEMBER 1918 197