THE 10TH BATTALION THE CAMERONIANS (SCOTTISH RIFLES)
A RECORD AND MEMEORIAL 1914-1918
(EDINBURGH PRESS, 1923)
THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES
(Pages 106-09)
There here
follows an extract from the battalion history written after the war by
surviving officers. It begins just as the British offensive it about to be
launched.
“The weather had broken now, and much rain fell on the 29th
and 30th, but the weather had cleared by 10 P.M, when we began taking up our
battle positions, ready for the opening attack of the third battle of Ypres,
timed to commence at 3.50 A.M., 31st July. It may be of some interest to
readers to know that the Battalion went into this battle with 20 officers (the
maximum allowed) and 377 other ranks!! Moreover no Battalion of the Brigade
could rnuster more than 500 other ranks.
The 46th Infantry Brigade dispositions were 7th/8th K.O.S.B.
on the right, 10th/11th H.L.I. left, 10th Battalion (less two companies) in
support, 12th H.L.I. in reserve. A Company was attached to the 7th/8th and B
Company to the 10th/11th H. L. 1. to "mop up" the objectives of
these Battalions. Both these Battalions and our two companies formed up in
"No Man's Land" during the night so that the leading troops might be
close behind the barrage. The night was still and damp, but so silently and
efficiently was the assembly carried through that the enemy had remained in
ignorance of the movement.
Punctually at 3.50 A.M. came the crashing roar of artillery
signifying the moment of advance. By 8 A.m. the 46th and 44th Brigades had
taken both their objectives and were busy consolidating the ground won, whilst
the 45th Brigade, acting in the same capacity as the 46th at Arras, was passing
through to the third objective. At 8.50 B Company reported the capture
of 100 prisoners and two machine-guns, but during this period of the advance
numerous casualties had occurred in A and B Companies through the enemy
counter-barrage, Knott (in command of A Company), Kermack, Cameron, Killeen and
Campbell amongst officers all being wounded, both the latter dangerously.
Later we learnt that the 45th Brigade had reached their
objective and were consolidating. On the flanks of the XIX Corps, however, the
attack had not been equally successful and late in the afternoon the enemy launched
strong counter-attacks against the exposed flanks of the more advanced troops.
Under this pressure the 45th Brigade was forced back on the second objective of
the Division, consolidated by the 46th Brigade. At 5.30 P.M. the Battalion was ordered to reinforce the forward area with two
companies. B Company under Hunter had already reinforced 10th/11th
H.L.I. so A was ordered to support the 7th/8th K.O.S.B. The counter-attack was
supported by very heavy artillery fire, from which C Company suffered badly,
Lovell (commanding) and Neale both being killed and Maxwell wounded.
The enemy, however, failed to regain any more of the lost
ground. No account of this day's fighting would be complete without mention of
the fine leadership and initiative shown by Hunter and Killeen, of an important
reconnaissance of the 44th Brigade area by Capt. Foulis under incessant
shellfire, of the gallant work performed by R.S. M. Grant in getting up
urgently needed ammunition to the forward companies, an act which involved the passage
of a heavy barrage, and for which he won a bar to his Military Cross.
As dusk came on rain began to fall steadily, pitilessly, and
within a few hours the ground pitted with countless shell holes became a sea of
mud and water. The night was literally black as ink. About 11 P.M. orders were
received to relieve the Royal Scots at a farm known as Beck House in the
forward area. Those who took part in the attempt are not likely to forget it.
It was almost impossible on strange ground to find one's position in the
blackness of that night. Battalion Headquarters and C Company reached
"Square Farm" by good luck, but other companies failed to connect
with the guides and as the sky began to lighten and no news was forthcoming of
relief having taken place the idea was given up, and in the half light
Headquarters and C Company moved back. Shortly after word came that in some
miraculous manner without guides A and D Companies had found their way into the
forward posts, but too late for the Royal Scots to withdraw. Daylight showed
the ground to be by now a vast quagmire, in which men moved with difficulty;
guns and tanks simply sank, and rifles and Lewis guns became clogged with mud
and were with difficulty kept in action.
Under these conditions neither side was for the moment able
to move, and during the morning of 1st August the situation remained unaltered.
A, B and D Companies were now all three in the forward posts, with
remnants of the Royal Scots on their right at Beck House, and the 12th H.L.1.
on their left.
About 2.30 P.M. 46th Brigade reported the enemy massing for
counter-attack opposite the left of the Brigade front, and sure enough at 4
P.M. after heavy artillery fire the enemy's infantry advanced in force. After a
while they gained ground on our right and A and D Companies found their flank
exposed to enfilade fire, a fact of which the Hun took full advantage. Both
companies were by now very weak and were altogether outnumbered by the enemy.
Both, however, hung on until the enemy was almost behind them, when they began
to fall slowly back to a flank. B Company reduced to twelve men fell
back with the Royal Scots. The remnants of the three companies under cover of
darkness made their way to Battalion Headquarters. During the day's fighting
Hunter, Pitt and Currie had been killed whilst Kenneth Miller, known to be
badly wounded, and Fleming also wounded, were in the hands of the Hun.
At 9 P.M. the Reserve Battalion of the 45th Brigade
counter-attacked the enemy at Beck House, and restored the situation at that
point. During the night the 16th Irish Division took over the area held by 15th
Division, and in the grey light of the dawn of 2nd August the Battalion made
its way to the Ecole, where its troubles were forgotten for the moment in the
sleep of exhaustion.”
Ypres, Belgium
Jack
was based here for the last two weeks before his death
Guide to Unit Details
An army was organised into Corp,
Division, Brigade, Battalion, Company (in descending order of size).
XIX Corp consisted of 2 Divisions
(15th & 55th).
15th Division consisted
of 3 Brigades (46th, 45th & 44th).
46th Brigade consisted
of 4 Battalions (10th SR, 12th HLI, 7th/8th
KOSB, 10/11th HLI) c.500 each
10th Cameronians
(Scottish Rifles) consisted of 4 Companies (A, B, C, & D) c.100 each
So we have:
John Bell, Private 41614, B Company, 10th
Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 46th Brigade, 15th
(Scottish) Division