Chapter XII: Germany’s Supreme Effort

21ST TO 29TH MARCH 1918

Hostile Bombardment, 21st March—Loss of Gauche Wood, 21st March—
Loss of Chapel Hill, 21st March—South Africans Recapture Chapel
Hill, 21st March—Retreat to the Battle Zone, 21st March—The 22nd
March—Loss of Chapel Hill, 22nd March—Withdrawal to Brown and
Green Lines, 22nd March—Retirement of the South African Brigade,
22nd March—Retirement of the Highland Brigade, 22nd March—The
Boundary Question, 22nd March—Retreat to East of Moislains, 23rd
March—Orders for Retreat to Ridge west of Bouchavesnes, 23rd
March—The Retreat, 23rd March—Events, 23rd to 24th March—Retreat
of the Lowland Brigade, 24th March—The Last Stand of the
South Africans, 24th March—Retreat of the Highland Brigade, 24th
March—Comments on the Fighting of the 24th March—VII. Corps
Transferred to Third Army, 25th March—Events, 25th March—Events,
26th March—Events, 27th March—Relief of Division, 27th to 28th
March—Work of the R.A.M.C.—Work of the A.S.C.—Comments on the
Action of the Ninth—The Division “Mentioned” 260

CHAPTER XIII

THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE IN FLANDERS

APRIL 1918

Failure of German thrust against Amiens—General Tudor Appointed
G.O.C., 28th March—Division in Line near Wytschaete, April—Nature
of the Defences—German Attack, 10th April—Counter-Attack of the
South Africans at Messines, 10th April—German Attack, 11th April—
Events, 12th to 15th April—Retreat to the Corps Line, 15th to
16th April—Germans Capture Wytschaete, 16th April—Counter-Attack
of Seaforths at Wytschaete, 16th April—Events, 17th to 24th April—
German Attack, 25th April—Action of the 12th Royal Scots and
6th K.O.S.B., 25th April—Work of the Machine-Gunners, 25th April—
Action of Seaforths and Camerons, 25th April—Relief of Division,
26th April—Comments on the Fighting 292

CHAPTER XIV

METEREN AND HOEGENACKER RIDGE

MAY TO SEPTEMBER 1918

Moral of the Troops—The Press—Review of Situation at end of April,
1918—The Division at Meteren, May—Nature of the country and the
Defences—Events, 25th May to 19th July—Preparations for an Attack
on Meteren—A Series of Mishaps—Action of South African Brigade,
19th July—Action of Highland Brigade, 19th July—Remarks on the
Operation—Brig.-General Kennedy leaves the Division, 27th July—
Events, 25th July to 18th August—Plans for Capture of Hoegenacker
Ridge—Capture of Hoegenacker Ridge, 18th August—Relief of
Division, 25th August—South Africans leave the Division, 13th
Sept.—Newfoundlanders join the Division—Failure of German
designs in France—The “Turn of the Tide”—Preparations for Attack
on 28th Sept.—Objectives of the Division 317

CHAPTER XV

FROM YPRES TO LEDEGHEM

28TH SEPTEMBER TO 14TH OCTOBER 1918

Passchendaele Ridge carried, 28th Sept.—Capture of Becelaere—
Situation at close of 28th Sept.—Orders for Advance on 29th
Sept.—Action of the 28th Brigade, 29th Sept.—The Camerons join
in, 29th Sept.—Action of the 27th Brigade, 29th Sept.—Situation
at close of 29th Sept.—Events, 30th Sept.—Orders for Advance on
1st Oct.—The Capture of Ledeghem and Rolleghem Cappelle, 1st
Oct.—The German Counter-Stroke, 1st Oct.—The Work of the Gunners,
1st Oct.—Remarks on Action of 1st Oct.—Summary of German defeats
in other parts of the Line, Sept. to Oct.—Objectives for 14th
Oct., 1918—Obstacles to our Advance—The Assembly, 13th to 14th 339

CHAPTER XVI

FROM LEDEGHEM TO THE SCHELDT

14TH OCTOBER TO 27TH OCTOBER 1918

Action of the 14th Oct.—Fine work of the Gunners, 14th Oct.—Plans
for Renewal of Advance, 15th Oct.—Action of 27th Brigade, 15th
Oct.—Plans for crossing the Lys, 16th Oct.—K.O.S.B. cross the
Lys, 16th to 17th Oct.—Events, 17th Oct.—Result of the Operations
in Flanders—Objectives for 20th Oct.—Preparation for crossing the
Lys—The crossing of the Lys, 19th to 20th Oct.—Action of the
20th Oct.—Events, 21st Oct.—Action of the 22nd Oct.—Capture of
Ooteghem-Ingoyghem Ridge, 25th Oct.—Relief of Division, 27th
Oct.—Comments on Operations since 28th Sept. 359

CHAPTER XVII